Ranma Hannibal 'Mind Games'
by WFROSE
Summary: Ranma inherits the 'Academic' Martial techniques of the notorious Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lechter
1. Prologue

Prologue:  
  
  
"Where is that boy..." Genma growled, as he almost giddily scowered the neighborhood. After several tries, Ranma finally mastered the Cat Fist, also ridding himself of that weakling fear of cats. As he continued his search, Genma beamed; he knew the boy could do it, it was just a matter of repetition, one of the hallmarks of martial arts. And that silly final page said he was a complete moron for attempting such a dangerous training. Shows what they knew!  
  
His search brought him by an old lady, sitting quietly on her porch, and watching the day go by. "Uh, excuse me," Genma enquired, stopping briefly, "I don't suppose you've seen my son around, have you? About ten, pigtail, wearing a gi?"  
  
"Oh, I love children!" The old woman exclaimed, her nearly closed eyes lightening a bit with the wrinkles becoming less, "My daughter used to bring her children by every so often, but now they've grown up, and will be having their own children soon. Oh, how adorable they would be! They were already handsome and beautiful, I can just imagine how their own pride will be!"  
  
"Um, yes, well..." Genma made a sour face, as he considered how to get away politely from this old fart's conversation, "I... have to look for my son, I can't talk right now." He didn't even give her time to acknowlege his leave, as he dashed from her presence.  
  
"Oh, how I enjoy the presence of children, they make me feel quite young..." The old woman paused, and turned to hear a cat's mewing, "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty."  
  
Sensing the old woman was safe, and would bring him no harm, the orange, extremely hungry tabby walked onto the porch, hoping the old lady would have some food for it.  
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Genma had found Ranma, and sincerely wished he hadn't.  
  
His son was snuggled in the lap of a man sitting on a park bench, who had been apparently enjoying the day. The balding caucasian gently stroked Ranma's side, as he stared at Genma with hard blue-green eyes that matched lasers for their intensity. Genma had *never* seen, or felt a stare like that before. It seemed to break him down, analyze every aspect of him, study him like a specimen in a science experament, and finally say 'there are no secrets you can hide from me, there are no lies you can speak'. The 'smirk', if you could call it that, that graced the man's face held no humor, no malice, no emotion to give away his thought. From an outward appearance, you couldn't tell if the man found Genma amusing, or an irritance that needed to be dealt with.  
  
Genma wanted to step back in fear, but that very look held him still. Accompanying that wholly unnerving look, was an aura of sheer *danger*. Genma could note that the man didn't seem to have a heavy physicality, unlike himself as a martial artist, so it seemed unlikely that he could defeat Genma in a straight fight. But something else, something about him that screamed to the martial artist of the man's deadliness easily cowled Genma unlike any punishment he had ever recieved, even at the hands of the master. Yet, Ranma snuggled against the man as if he were in the arms of an angel. How could his son, even acting as peculiar as he was, NOT feel the danger he was in? To Genma, himself, it was like a rabbit staring into the maw of a massive cobra, completely hypnotized with nowhere to go.  
  
Genma didn't know how long it had been. To him, it could have been mere moments to eternity, but after that time, the man spoke in almost impeccible Japanese with only a slight accent, "You will tell me everything that has happened to this boy."  
______________________  
  
At the command, Genma almost found that he could not disobey. Wether it be from fear or some peculiar hypnotic spell, he could not discern. The man didn't make a noise or motion during the tale of Ranma's most rescent training regimen, save the soft stroking of the purring boy in his lap. It was recited by Genma almost mechanically, as if his fear had not found its way into his voice. Every detail, every nuance Genma could remember was revealed without delay. Genma still hadn't moved from his spot, and stood in place as he recollected his foolishness. After Genma was done, he felt as if he were confessing his sins before a demon from the worst of Hells, one that had come to claim him, and punish him in the most cunning and soul-agonizing of ways.  
  
The man looked down after a moment after the tale was finished, still idly stroking the boy who seemed to believe himself to be a cat. He gave no other outward appearance of his contemplation or his mood, but he was furious. He had done things in his time that many have believed to be atrocities, but currently, he himself was inflamed by the man's audacity. To throw his own child into a pit of starving cats... repeatedly...  
  
But.. something about what this man had set out to do appealed to him. Not the cat fist training, as only a imbecil would even contemplate it. No, it was passing down an artform, a martial art, for the sake of making his son the best there was. It was an idea that intrigued him, and gave him a pleasant idea which would provide him with a distraction for the time being. Plus, it would give him the entertaining chance of finding a way to cure Ranma of his current... ailment.  
  
"Mr. Saotome, I have a proposition for you..."  
  
The light and almost jovial tone that was addressing Genma put the martial artist on alert far more than even the direct tone he had used to command him to go over what had caused Ranma's current trauma. Before he could answer, the man directed his eyes back to Ranma, "I have something of a... dicipline, myself, that would prove beneficial and rewarding for your dear son."  
  
Genma felt himself relax, only somewhat, as the man sitting before him with his son claimed himself to be a martial artist, "Oh?" He didn't drop his defenses, though.  
  
"Yes, it is something of a academic..." the smirk deepened into a disarming smile, "martial art. If you would be interested? It has quite a bit of potential that your son would immensely benefit from."  
  
At the idea of Ranma learning a new, promisingly powerful martial art from this man, Genma's fear was temporarily cast aside, "Is that so? What is your school, if I may ask?"  
  
The man's expression never changed, "Is it not customary for you to give your own, first?"  
  
Genma did not know that custom, which would probably be because the man had just come up with it, "Of course, my son and I are versed in the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts."  
  
The man nodded once, and adjusted himself, as Ranma attempted to snuggle closer against him, "Very well, I practice the Lechter Academic Martial Dicipline..."  
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Ranma/ Hannibal  
'Mind Games' 


	2. Part 1

Ranma/ Hannibal  
'Mind Games'  
Chapter 1  
  
  
  
Rain corregated in the lush, green leaves of a tree that contrasted with the dark gray overcast that brought the storm. A lone figure trenched through the heavy downpour, and down an unnamed street, as was common to find in Japan. The figure had an intended destination, and headed with purposeful, yet reserved strides, while keeping the cloak firmly over the head, allowing only a peak of red hair to be visible.  
  
The figure stopped, its vision finding a rather thick drop of rain landing on the concrete before it. A youthful face, baring hard, analytical crystal blue eyes, traced the direction the drop descended from, and then slowly directed to the left. With a seemingly delighted breath, the figure exhaled as it read the sign.  
  
"Tendou Dojo, it appears Pop's directions were good, this time."  
  
The figure casually pushed through the doors. As short as the figure was, it seemed as if it did not heed the potential weight that the large doors most likely held. Keeping the cloak on to protect itself from the menacing rain, the figure stode up to the house that sat in the center of the property that belonged to the Tendou family.  
  
A drop of rain ran down the porch roof, and down the banister of the front right corner. The figure entered the porch, as the drop wound down the banister, and dripped to the wood floor. After turning back to give a passing glance to the rain, the figure turned back, and knocked to announce its arrival. It waited patiently, but did not have to wait long, as it could hear the steps, two people, rather exited in fact, rushed to the door. The figure already surmised that it was expected, but nodded its head at the confirmation.  
  
Its head lifted, as the door swung open to reveal a man and apparently his daughter. The girl, presumably about the figure's age, was excited, and almost missed the figure standing before her, as she was looking for someone taller. It only took but an instance for her to look down.  
  
"Hello, you were expecting me?" The figure stated in a jovial and addressing, yet peculiarly effimate voice. With a bow, the figure announced itself, "I'm Ranma Saotome."  
  
The girl seemed to be appraising the figure, and the figure could tell what she was finding was apparently pleasing, "Oooh, he is cute!"  
  
Ranma coughed, "Well, thanks, I'm glad you approve of my appearance. If we may? I would like to get out of the rain..."  
  
"SON!" Ranma was suddenly in the man's tight embrace, and with a slight begrudging humor, bore it for its duration. As expected, the man tensed, no doubt suddenly finding something amiss, as expected. After feeling the hug weaken, Ranma stepped out of the man's reach.  
  
"Sorry about all this, but it would be best if I explained this inside."  
  
By this time, two other girls joined the man and the first girl; the eldest girl, older than even the first one, had a curious, yet distressed expression on her face, while the younger girl, possibly the same age as the first girl, had an angry and disapproving frown. At least one of them was not pleased by the stranger's arrival, apparently.  
  
The first girl had developed a more intense look to her appraisal, and moved forward. Before a finger could reach Ranma's chest, the stranger lightly slapped it away, "Maybe we should hold on the touching, at least until we've been properly introduced?" The girl stepped back, as a slight bit of nervousness washed over her, when the stranger's eyes met hers.  
  
She quickly regained herself, as the eldest gave her a slightly disapproving look. The first girl turned to look to the father, which Ranma could easily conclude, "Daddy?"  
  
Before the rather puzzled looking man could respond, Ranma gave a slight shiver, to remind them of the current state of the weather.  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry," the eldest girl apologized, "please forgive our manners. Won't you come in?" With a smile of gratitude and a nod, Ranma entered past the man and the three girls.  
__________________________  
  
"So, you're Ranma?" the girl with the shortest cut hair enquired.  
  
Ranma nodded, and barely moving the eyes, lest the girls detect it, the red-head gave a sweeping glance to the hosts. The young one with the long hair wearing a gi was behaving openly hostile to Ranma. In return, the red-head gave a disarming smile. Before seeing the results, Ranma's attention turned to the eldest girl. She seemed the very zenith of tranquility, though Ranma could note the slight signs of distress she was trying her best to withold; the red-head would have to admire that. The short-haired one seemed slightly confused, and also a bit angered. Ranma noted the anger didn't come about until recently, which meant it may have been a byproduct of her confusion. Simple enough to profile, she did not like having things confuse her, potentially making her a control freak, or someone with a innately flippant surface attitude, or both.  
  
"My Pop will be along soon, we decided that it would be best if I were to talk to you first," Ranma stated, cupping small, decidedly female hands on the table, "I would guess you were expecting a guy, and found my arrival a bit unsettling."  
  
"You're... you're a girl?" the man studdered, before his eyes rolled into his head, and he slumped backwards.  
  
Ranma seemed to give the man a slight glance, while out of peripheral vision, observing the reactions of the three girls. The eldest one was chagrinned, while the other two girls' faces expressed clear annoyance.  
  
"You know my name..." Ranma trailed off, and looked back at the girls, temporarily ignoring the spectacle the father made of himself.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, we haven't be very courteous hosts," the elder girl stated, still displaying chagrinned features on her face.  
  
"It's okay," Ranma placated, "I know this is rather..." Ranma searched for the right word that would provide the best effect wanted from the girls, "...peculiar for you. Please, go on."  
  
"Well, I'm Kasumi Tendou, and these are my sisters Nabiki..." she pointed to the girl with short hair, "... and Akane," she pointed to the other girl with long hair, "That is our father, Soun Tendou."  
  
"You already know my name, and my own Pop, Genma Saotome, you'll meet a bit later," Ranma stated with calculated emotion, "I have to tell you, that me and Pop's situation is a bit wierd, and it's going to take a bit of explaining. That's why he isn't here, since you may find him a bit unnerving."  
  
"Like finding we're engaged to another girl isn't unnerving enough?" the one named Nabiki snapped.  
  
Ranma was careful not to make any surprise visual at the proclamation, but nonetheless was shocked to find that the girls were believing Ranma to be a fiancee. "Yes... well, that's one thing I thought it would be best to discuss without my father present," a quick lie would allow Ranma to get things clear without any prenotions being set into the girls; it would cause a few problems for her if it did.  
  
Akane seemed more inclined to the conversation, now that she found out Ranma was a girl. Her frown was gone, and replaced with a more courteous and lighter expression. Ranma pressed forward, "I think it's in everyones best intrest, if we disregard that predicerment for a while." Before any of them could add the fact that Ranma was a girl, the red-head continued, "I myself have other, more pressing problems. I..."  
  
At that moment, the kettle for tea began to whistle in the kitchen. "I need to prepare the tea, Akane, could you tend to father?"  
  
"Okay," Akane got up, nodding to Ranma with a slight smile, as she followed her sister to the kitchen. Akane was more comfortable with Ranma, now that she realized the other girl wasn't an available fiancee, and was now attempting to be hospitable.  
  
"So..." Ranma turned back to a silently fuming Nabiki, "I take it you were looking forward to this?"  
  
Nabiki turned back to Ranma with a glare. Meeting Ranma's eyes again quickly forced her to turn away, disgusing it as irritation. Ranma new better, she was unnerved by the red-head. Nabiki was weary of the expression Ranma wore; piercing hard blue eyes that held nothing of the slight smile that graced her youthful face. It was like the smile of a wolf; focused on its intende prey and already savoring the taste of its flesh, "Whatever."  
  
"Not one for small talk, I see," Ranma allowed a touch of humor into her voice. Nabiki's eyes flashed back to her for a second, before going back to her act of irritated indifference.  
  
"Ah, thank you," Ranma graciously took the mug of tea offered to him by Kasumi, and sniffed lightly, "Hmm, a very light strain with the best balance of flavor, you make a great cup of tea."  
  
"Thank you," Kasumi replied to the compliment, though she was curious how the girl could be so confident of it without a taste. Ranma bowed her head, as she took a sip from the tea. From the top of her peripheral vision, she noted Nabiki staring at her. She was suspicious of Ranma, good, this will make her presumed indefinite stay all the more interesting. Akane returned with a roll mat, a bowl of cold water, and a washrag. Ranma observed her, as she laid her father on the mat, and put the cold compress on his forehead.  
  
"You had something you wanted to tell us?" Nabiki asked over her own mug of tea.  
  
"Oh," Ranma made a show of slight embarrassment, "Sorry. I'll be curt, I'm not a girl." Ranma barely allowed the information to sink in, "I currently have a curse that changes me from a guy to a girl, while my father has one that changes him into a panda." Ranma looked at her tea with slight distaste, "Could I have some warm water, about thirty five degrees, please? It would probably be easier to digest, if it was demonstrated..."  
  
"Curses, get real!" Nabiki retorted.  
  
"That is pretty far fetched," Akane added. Kasumi didn't say anything, choosing instead to honor Ranma's request. In a short time, she returned with warm water. Ranma took the glass with a nod of thanks, and got up. She walked over to the bowl of cold water for Mr. Tendou's cold compress, and bowed her head over it. She upended the cup over her head, triggering the change. Ranma smiled to himself, at the gasps of startlement from his hostesses.  
  
Wiping the exess water from his hair, Ranma stood to full height, and addressed the girls, "This, is my natural form. I'm sorry about the confusion." 


	3. Part 2

Ranma/ Hannibal  
'Mind Games'  
Part 2  
  
  
Ranma patiently waited for the girls to get over their shock, standing calmly before them in a relaxed pose. After he deemed enough time elapsed, he started, "I thought it would be best if I came as a girl, I'm a lot less..." Ranma tilted his head and looked away from the girls slightly in musement, "Intimidating."  
  
"Bu... but.... how...." Nabiki babbled, being the first one to recover, at least partically, her speech capacity."  
  
Ranma sighed, and walked back to sit in front of the girls, as to be at their level to continue the conversation, "It's the nature of my curse. Whenever I come into contact with cold water, I change into a girl. Hot water changes me back into a," Ranma's eyes flashed slightly and quickly to Akane, who was beginning to heavily scowl, "guy. It also tends to be triggered at the most unpredictable times, so I thought if I arrived as a girl, I could limit the changes of changing before I could explain."  
  
"And you said your father has a curse like this, too?" Kasumi asked, "Oh my, I have to say that I find this amazing!"  
  
"It impressed me, I mean after the initial shock wore off when I first recieved it, though it is pretty inconveniencing," Ranma replied. He slightly nodded to himself, though the girls took it as affirmation to what he had just said; aside from the girl named Akane, and their unconcious father, they were following his every word with rapt attention. He was making his first impression with them as he needed it, and the revealing of a rather 'embarrasing' curse to people who were little more than strangers to him would endear them for the most part. The only problem he was currently forseeing was Akane. She seemed to start tuning him out, and was glaring at him with a good amount of animosity. It would be best if he corrected that."  
  
Turning to the scowling girl, Ranma's face became a bit sullen, "I'm sorry if I misled you in any way. I wanted to be as up front as possible about this, but I guess it was a mistake in judgement to come as a girl."  
  
"Oh, don't apologise," the eldest one interjected, "It's raining rather heavily outside, and you couldn't be blamed for that."  
  
"Maybe..." Ranma replied with a subdued tone, casting his eyes downward to his mug of cooled tea. Out of the corner of his eye, he still noted the girl's expression didn't lighten. He was going to have to be a bit more delicate about this.  
  
Akane snorted, turning away, and gaining her eldest sister's attention. "Akane, you shouldn't be rude to our guest."  
  
"Why not? He's a pervert that's just out to get one of us!" Akane retorted hotly, "Just like a boy to use such a weird curse to try to kiss up to us!"  
  
Ranma now had a lead as to what was with the girl's behavior. Unfortunately, confirming it would be something he couldn't do casually. He knew the eldest one was probably too nice and proper to confirm his suspicions, but Nabiki seemed more practical, and would probably remain more level headed about it.  
  
"I see, I'm sorry for the confusion," Ranma apologised again, turning away from the three girls, "Hmm, Mr. Tendou will probably need to be reawakened soon..." As the three girls turned to examine their father, he surrepticiously looked to Nabiki. His eyes quickly scanned to her's, and her own stare focused on his. Once he was sure she understood he was about to make a silent enquiry, he kept his expression schooled to nothing more than academic curiosity, and mouthed the word 'lesbian'. He then raised his eyebrows to signify that he was making an inquiry.  
  
Nabiki caught on quickly, making a slight shake of her head. It was enough for Ranma to plan his next course of action. "Well, I guess I can explain everything to him later, it isn't a big deal. Anyhow,I know that most guys my age tend to not know how to treat girls. You must have had some bad experiences."  
  
Akane's expression lightened a little, before it scrunched up again; Ranma knew she was now being defiant, and already surmised the reason before Akane spoke again, "Like you know! You're the one trying to marry one of us!"  
  
Ranma decided a somewhat radical denial would be best, so that he would set up his next play to further endear him with the three, particularly Akane. Almost frantically waving his hands, Ranma replied, "Oh, KAMI, no!"  
  
"What? Something wrong with us?" Nabiki enquired, with a remarkably chilling voice. His eyes scanned over Kasumi and Akane's expressions; the former had a slightly dissappointed expression, though subdued, while the latter's angry stare was hinting at some indignance. Perfectly baited.  
  
"Well, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't mind in the least bit to find myself wedded to any of you three. I admit I haven't really been around girls much, but I am very much enjoying being in your company. It's just that it wouldn't be really fair to you three to have decisions like this made for you. I think it's up to you to decide who you want to marry, not mine."  
  
Emphesizing to put the girls' priorities before his apparently did the trick, as even the youngest one was softening.  
  
"Well, I guess that sounds fair," Akane replied, still rather guarded on the whole subject. Ranma made a mental note to find out what exactly has soured the girl to the opposite sex. Whatever it was, he presumed it had something to do with a great deal of unwanted advances, and not some traumatic experience. That would make it easier for him to approach her.  
  
"I know three nice girls like you have others you're interested in, not that it's my place to pry." Kasumi blushed demurely, while Nabiki's face lost a bit of its cheer. Ranma internally winced, as Akane regained her scowl. "Anyway, if it's okay? I would rather at least be friends," Ranma feigned a cheerful look covering a slightly meloncholy expression, "I... traveled around a lot with my Pop, and I may not stay long, so I can't say how long I'll know you all, since..." Ranma paused. If he were to state that it was their decision that the marraige was not wanted, it would seem as if he's pouting. If he said it was his, it would throw them into being guarded again.  
  
With a sigh, Ranma looked down at his tea, partially hiding his sullen face. Almost suddenly, he brought it back up with a tight smile, "Never mind that. I'm just not sure how I'm supposed to act. I mean, I just found out that I was supposed to be engaged to three rather pretty girls. Actually, it's kind of weird feeling, and unsettling."  
  
"Oh, you must not have had many friends while you were traveling, I'm sorry!" Ranma held his expression firm, but internally celebrated. Kasumi managed to pick up on the implications, thus cluing the other two in.  
  
"Friends..." Akane seemed to ponder the word, before turning a smile to Ranma, "I think I'd like that. as long as you don't turn out to be some perverted freak, without your curse, I mean."  
  
"Yeah, I guess my curse makes me rather unusual. Believe me when I say I would want to do away with it if I could, but it was made so that it wouldn't be easy to get rid of it. I'm still not comfortable with a girl's body, it just doesn't seem right."  
  
Akane seemed placated and slightly chagrinned, "Well, it's not your fault, I guess. There's a reason it's called a curse, right?"  
  
"And how did you get that curse of yours? You said your father has one, too?" Nabiki asked, and reminded Ranma for the second time about his father..  
  
"Well, I think that it would be best that I tell this story when my father and yours are able to partake." Ranma turned to Akane, and then back to face all three, "Do all of you practice martial arts?"  
  
"Oh, no, I'm afraid I just don't have the time!" Kasumi exclaimed slightly.  
  
"Nor do I have the inclanation," Nabiki added, "Akane here's the only one, and the best there is here in Nerima!"  
  
"Oh?" Ranma focused on Akane, who was looking back at him with barely veiled pride, "That is definitely impressive!"  
  
"We have a dojo out back," Akane stated, her voice holding a bit of confidence, though she attempted to sound modest, "Maybe we can spar? I bet you're pretty good, if you've studied in China."  
  
"Sounds like fun!" Ranma replied with a smile, "I don't get many sparring opportunities with anyone other than my Pop, so I wouldn't mind a different challenge."  
  
"Ranma," Kasumi interjected, "don't you think you should call your father, and let him know you've arrived? Where is he staying? You're both welcome here for at least the night."  
  
Ranma stood up, after waiting for Akane to, "Oh, we've been traveling all day, so he's probably resting up right now. He trusts me enough to wait until later." With that, he motioned Akane to lead the way.  
  
Nabiki watched her sister and Ranma disappear into the hall, before getting up to follow. There was something about Ranma that she found more than a bit peculiar. He seemed pretty articulate, which she found an endearing quality in a guy. But the way he kept addressing his dad as 'father'... almost like it was a slip-up, while at some points almost seeming to concentrate on remembering to use the word addressment of 'Pop'....  
  
Nabiki shrugged it off as just her imagination. He was probably concerned about first impressions, and was just concerned about sounding like some country bumpkin. In the meantime, she wanted to see how Ranma faired against her little sister. 


	4. Part 3

Ranma/ Hannibal  
'Mind Games'  
Part 3  
  
  
  
Ranma's finger traced the doorframe of the entrance to the dojo, before looking forward and slightly off to the left to find one of his hostesses watching him. Ranma noted the tone of pride within the girl's eyes, and chose to continue his survey of what brought her that pride.  
  
"Impressive," Ranma commented, walking along the wooden walls, lightly tracing his fingertips across the smooth surface.  
  
"My Dad built it," Akane stated.  
  
"It must have seen many students, as nice as it looks in here," Ranma lied. He could smell that it had few personal scents, mainly one being prominant. The floor's finish, though worn, hasn't shown the need for replacement. Before Akane or Nabiki could answer otherwise, Ranma continued, "Well, I'm anxious to get going, are you ready?"  
  
"Uh... yeah, sure!" Ranma could hear the relief in Akane's voice. "You study Kempo, right?"  
  
Ranma tilted his head, and maintained an expression of humble modesty, "A little."  
  
"Good! Let's have a match!" Akane turned to Nabiki expectantly. With a roll of her eyes, the girl walked between where Akane and Ranma were standing, and held her right hand ready to call.  
  
"BEGIN!" Nabiki quickly darted back, interally groaning. She wondered why Akane always had to do this when someone came over with even minor skills. As if the formalness is going to impress them in some way.  
  
Akane was the first to begin the battle, launching at Ranma with a right punch. Ranma darted forward, parrying it away, and returning a left jab. Akane blocked it with her forearm, and attempted a lunging knee, to which Ranma barely blocked in time, and slid back from the force.  
  
Ranma immidiately went back into stance, and gave Akane an approving look, "You are pretty good."  
  
Akane was internally smiling. In the first trade off, she had managed to almost overpower Ranma. If he indeed studied in China, she was matching up to even world class martial artists, "You're not so bad yourself. Ready?"  
  
Ranma tentatively approached Akane, and once within range, he launched out with a right punch, similar to Akane's first blow. Akane dodged it to the side, and attempted a crescent kick to the head. Ranma palmed the kick, and then dropped low for a sweep. Akane leapt back, and then spun into a hook kick aimed at Ranma's stomach. The pigtailed boy swung his arm down to guard against the strike, jamming and redirecting it, before stepping forward and delivering a palm thrust with his free hand that caught Akane in the stomach, sending her to the ground.  
  
"Point; Ranma," Nabiki announced with a slight smirk. It was about time someone was able to humble her little sister.  
  
Akane pulled herself off the ground, and glared at Nabiki, "So, I got careless, okay? I was going easy on him!"  
  
Ranma raised an eyebrow, "You're going easy on me? You're definitely better than I expected, then."  
  
Akane gave a smirk that barely concealed the haughtiness that she was holding back, "Thanks, I'm the best in Nerima." Her smirk dropped slightly, and the haughty attituded changed to a sour one, "Of course, I don't really need all the opportunities I'm given to prove it..."  
  
"As my Pop always told me, 'A martial artist's life is fraught with peril'," Ranma quoted, "Ready to begin next round?"  
  
Akane nodded, and both stepped back to the middle of the dojo. Both Ranma and Akane turned to Nabiki again with expectant faces. With a huff of slight irritation, Nabiki walked between them, and called the match one more time.  
  
Akane increased her tenacity a great deal, launching into a series of punches and kicks at Ranma. Ranma immidiately went on defensive, parrying all of Akane's initial blows, although pressed. Once he gained enough distance between them, the pigtailed martial artist retaliated, quickly pushing Akane back into her guard. Akane rushed through Ranma's attack with a general guard, and attempted a sidekick to his ribs. Ranma sailed back, and landed on his backside.  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"Oh! Sorry," Akane apologised, expressing genuine concern. Ranma was almost touched.  
  
"It's alright, I wasn't expecting that. Your point."  
  
Akane nodded, and walked back to the center. Ranma joined her, and waited for Nabiki to call it one more time. They both leapt after each other at the same time, trading and guarding each other's blows with a rising pitch. Nabiki noted Akane starting to gain her more focused expression, as Ranma himself slowly followed behind her slightly with his own face becoming more concerted. Nabiki was growing more and more impressed, as the fight went on; she hadn't seen Akane this pressed on the longest time. But... there was something that was slightly... off... that she couldn't place her finger on.  
  
The tradeoff was starting to become fierce, which was beginning to worry Nabiki a bit. She knew her sister, and though Akane rarely meant to, exept in special cases, she tended to get a bit out of hand. She was about to shout out to Ranma in warning, but found it moot, as Ranma swung closer to Akane, guarding against her double fisted 'u' punch, and causing her to have to dart back to gain some leverage. Unfortunately for Akane, Ranma's swing towards her had placed his forward foot in the path of Akane's retreating leg.  
  
Startled, Akane reached out, and grabbed Ranma's shirt. The pigtailed boy blinked in surprise, as he was pulled down ontop of Akane. He just barely managed to prace his hands on the sides of Akane, to keep his weight from completely resting upon her.  
  
"You know?" Ranma started in an almost casual, yet quiet tone, "There were many tribes in the early Americas, most notorious the Iroquis, that believed eating the flesh of their defeated enemies gave them their strength..." Ranma leaned in closer to Akane's incredulous expression, "I have to say, you do impress me..."  
  
Wide eyed, Akane pushed Ranma off of her, and scuttled away, "WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!?"  
  
Ranma's face turned to an expression of mirth, "I'm kidding." Ranma stood up, and leaned over Akane with his hand presented, "But really, you definitely have talent."  
  
"Th-thanks," Akane replied, still a bit startled.  
  
"What? What was that all about? What joke?" Nabiki looked between the two former combatants, wondering why Akane hadn't beat Ranma mindless for the close, though unintentional, contact.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Akane apparently didn't find it funny," Ranma commented, helping said girl back to her feet, "I'm looking forward to sparring with you some more later."  
  
"Same here," Akane replied, as she was slightly doubled over and catching her breath from the last round.  
  
"Well, I've rather been traveling for quite a bit. If you don't mind, I could use a hot bath." Nabiki apparently was the only one that heard Ranma.  
  
"Uh, sure," Nabiki answered, "Kasumi can get one prepared for you, just ask."  
  
"I will, thanks," with that, Ranma bowed to each girl, and walked out of the dojo casually. Akane nodded her head, but didn't look up yet, so she missed what Nabiki noted; the fact that Ranma didn't even seem winded, regardless of the fierce sparring session he had been in with Akane.  
______________________  
  
"Thanks, Kasumi," Ranma answered the eldest Tendou daughter, "This is much appreciated." He stripped down, and prepared a bucket of cold water. After upending it over her head, Ranma began to scub herself down. After a few minutes of the preparation, Ranma stood up, and started for the furo. Akane walked in at that moment, carrying her own bath supplies; which in turn, caused Ranma to turn about, slightly startled.  
  
Akane blinked her eyes a couple of times, before her expression started to grow angry, "You... you..."  
  
"I'm sorry, I guess I should have found some way to let you know the bathroom was occupied," Ranma-chan stated, cutting Akane off. The redhead turned her back to allow Akane her modesty, while not even bothering to hide her's, "I understand your harrassment probably set you on end, but I assure you that I have no intentions of being one of those group of boys that must be driving you crazy."  
  
Akane was shocked out of her building anger, "How, how did you know?"  
  
Ranma-chan waived the question off, "It must be an impressive group of boys who want to be your suiter. But don't worry, I understand the displeasures of dealing with... nusances." Ranma turned to look at Akane, before turning back away. "If you want, you have my support in dealing with them. That is, if you ever need it. You're more than capable, I had seen earlier."  
  
"I do okay against them." Akane said guardedly, but relaxing.  
  
"I could leave, if you like?"  
  
"N-no... no, but you should put the occupied sign out when you're using it," Akane chided, not feeling threatened by the pigtailed girl.  
  
Ranma nodded without turning around, "I'll remember that, thanks." Akane left the bathroom, almost walking right into Kasumi.  
  
"Oh! Isn't Ranma in there?"  
  
"He is," Akane replied, "He just didn't realise he was supposed to put the sign out."  
  
"If everything's okay..." Kasumi concerned. "I think father's had too much excitement today, so I helped him to bed. Do you think Ranma is hungry? I could fix him something if he would like..."  
  
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm pretty tired." Ranma-chan's voice called out. "If you don't mind, I would just like to go to sleep after this, but thanks again."  
  
"Okay, Ranma-kun," Kasumi called into the bathroom, before turning to her sister, "Oh my, he's rather polite."  
  
"Yeah," Akane said with a slightly distracted tone. 


	5. Part 4

Ranma/ Hannibal  
'Mind Games'  
  
  
Darkness, that's all the young boy saw. His young eyes could not see anything more than the all consuming shadow brought by the negation of light, but he knew they were out there. In his mind, he could see the dozens of pairs of slitted eyes, and he could sense their hunger directed towards them. With each moment, the young boy's fear grew, and with it his dependence on that which is keeping him safe...  
____________________  
  
Ranma walked cheerfully down the stairs to greet his hosts, and once again found himself in the arms of another man.  
  
"Er, good morning to you too, Mr. Tendou."  
  
Soun stepped back, and regarded Ranma with careful scruteny. Ranma kept the expression of baleful irritation from reaching his facade, choosing a confused and curious expression. After a few moments, the Tendou Patriarch beamed.  
  
"Oh, how I'm so relieved! For some reason I recall you being a girl!"  
  
Ranma turned to see Kasumi smiling at him from the kitchen just back to his right, and turned back to Soun, "I can understand the confusion. In your absence, your three daughters were great hosts, you must be proud of them!"  
  
"Indeed, they are the pride of an old man who only wishes to see them wed outstanding young men such as yourself!" Ranma had already forseen the conversation being steered into this direction.  
  
"Yes, I wouldn't wish them any less... Kasumi, did you have something to ask?"  
  
Finding herself addressed, Kasumi nodded to Ranma, "Good morning, Ranma-kun, breakfast will be ready in just a little bit. Would you like to call your father while we're waiting?"  
  
"That won't be necessary," Ranma replied with an innocent smile, "He will be along when he's ready."  
  
"And how is my old friend! It's been too long since I've heard from him. I trust your..."  
  
"Yes, yes, he's doing fine," Ranma interrupted, not really wanting to discuss the old fool, "Whatever you are preparing smells lovely, Kasumi-dear!"  
  
"Why, thank you, Ranma-kun! Why don't you take a seat at the table, it should be ready any minute now..."  
  
Just then, Akane entered from her morning bath, dressed and ready for school, "Ah, hello, Ranma."  
  
The pigtailed boy noted the tentative addressment; she was still weary of him, "And a good morning to you, Akane. I had almost forgot that today would be a school day. You think it would be difficult for me to go today?"  
  
"You actually want to go to school?" Akane asked, curiously.  
  
"Why not?" Ranma retorted, "I don't mind an education, you know? I would rather keep my options for the future open."  
  
"Oh!" Akane exclaimed, becoming intrigued, "Anything in particular you plan on?"  
  
Ranma smiled, "I fancy myself becoming a doctor, maybe. Psychiatrist sounds promising, maybe even a medical doctor."  
  
"Fancy?" Nabiki repeated, as she walked down the stairs, "How cultured you sound, and you want to be a doctor when you grow up?"  
  
"Yes, well," Ranma started, feign bashfulness.  
  
Nabiki stood next to her sister, "Akane, you better take this all in; a boy who even speaks civilized, with ambition, and a gorgeous bod, to boot! One of us definitely hit the jackpot!" Nabiki almost chuckled, as she turned to find her sister staring more intensely than she really wanted to, before realizing what she was doing, and turning away.  
  
"Cut it out, Nabiki! Don't embarrass him like that!"  
  
"Oh, it's no bother. Your sister's pretty, um, spirited.," Ranma placated.  
  
"You mean boy-crazy," Akane interjected, "but she is right, you don't act like most boys."  
  
"Well, I like being unique." Ranma turned to find Kasumi setting the table, "Looks like breakfast is ready. I, for one, am eager to sample a meal from your lovely sister!"  
  
Soun had remained silent through the whole traid, finding himself extremely impressed with the young man, "Saotome, you have done a remarkable job with your son..." 


	6. Part 5

Ranma/ Hannibal  
'Mind Games'  
  
  
  
  
Ranma ran alongside Akane, musing to himself. Akane wasn't sure what to make of this, after having experienced a rather talkative (and particularly prying) Ranma not too much earlier. She decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth, as she noticed she was almost upon the school.  
  
Ranma had been paying slight attention to Akane, so he was able to notice her darkening expression. The pigtailed boy focused up ahead, and easily identified the reason for Akane's animosity towards the young male populace, "Your fan club, I presume?"  
  
"Stay back, or you'll get hurt!" Akane warned, as she put in an extra boost of speed. Ranma slowed back, deciding to take it all under observation   
  
He would later have to admit to himself that he was rather impressed, as Akane tore through her attackers with a great deal of skill, leading to her ease. From the looks of the other observers, this was a relatively commonplace occurance.  
  
Ranma patiently waited until the final boy collapsed, before applauding, "Now I know for certain you didn't need my help, not that I didn't trust your judgement on your ability prior."  
  
Akane turned towards him with an expression of irritation, he hadn't gotten the chance to discern if it was towards him or something else, before she spoke, "It's not over ye-"  
  
Ranma almost casually stepped past Akane, intercepting something before it came within her reach. He pulled the rose back to Akane, and presented it to her, "For you, I presume..."  
  
"YOU THERE!"  
  
Ranma raised his head, as Akane groaned, "Ranma Saotome, I'll forgive your rather uncivil tongue, if you use my name when addressing me from this point."  
  
"By what right did you intercept my meager, yet grand token of my ever-lasting endearment and honorment towards Akane Tendou?"  
  
The pigtailed young man raised an eyebrow towards the newcomer's archaic speech, but quickly recovered, "Forgive my impertenance, I had reacted with best intrests to Akane's welfare, though she has shown she is quite capable of handling herself." Ranma bowed in greeting, "I have given you my name, would you maintain this to be a one-way association?"  
  
"I see you are quick to identify your betters, knave," the older boy with the bokken retorted. Ranma quickly placed the other boy under the catagory of 'irritant'. Akane looked between the two, not sure of what was currently going on.  
  
"I have given you my name, I remind you," Ranma stated through gritted teeth, "It would behoove you, as someone I presume of a... privelaged... upbringing to use it, as fitting of someone of your assumed station."  
  
The young man seemed to muse the appeal given to him, not even noticing the backhanded insults given towards him, "I see your point... very well, Saotome, was it? I shall give you my own."  
  
"Please, do," Ranma drawled, finally getting somewhere.  
  
"My name is Tatewake Kuno, Junior, grou-"  
  
"And it is a pleasure to meet you, Kuno-san," Ranma interjected, already knowing how long winded the introduction would be, "I take it that you have business with Ms. Tendou?"  
  
"Indeed," Kuno narrowed his eyes, recalling Ranma's impudence, "I would have the reason you feel yourself privelaged enough to be so familiar with Akane Tendou."  
  
"Only trivial, nothing of your importance," Ranma replied. He quickly moved on before Kuno could make his indignant rebuke, probably something along the lines of 'all things related to Akane were his business', or some other nonsense, "I'm afraid I am not aware of the rules and protocol around here, and as I can see, you would be the gentleman best suited to inform me of these, lest any other such misunderstanding occur."  
  
"Ah, so you then realize your folley," Kuno nodded, looking at Ranma in a different light, "If you wish, we may meet sometime in the future to orientate you."  
  
"I thank you for the privelage," Ranma returned, "But, as I am new, I'm afraid Ms. Tendou will have to show me the office, so that I may be fully registered. It has been a pleasure, Kuno-san."  
  
"Aye, indeed it has," Kuno replied, before bowing, and turning to walk away.  
  
On a balcony of one of the classrooms, Nabiki stared in disbelief, along with her cohorts.  
  
"Um..." One girl started, "Did Kuno just get talked out of a fight?" Nobody answered, all still in slight shock.  
  
"What just happened?" Akane asked, as she was pulled along by Ranma.  
  
"I just made a new friend, that's all," Ranma stated in an amused voice, "Oh, by the way, I apologize for my rather prying questions earlier, they were out of line."  
  
Akane stopped, jerking her arm out of Ranma's grip. The pigtailed boy then stopped, and turned around with a puzzled expression.  
  
Akane stared at Ranma with a wide-eyed expression; a boy... just apologized to her...  
  
"Akane?" Ranma ventured, finally giving in, and waving his hand before her face. Akane blinked, and focused back on Ranma.  
  
"What were you apologizing for?"  
  
"I guess it's of no importance, by your merit," Ranma stated, instead of repeating himself, "Now, if you'll show me the way to the office?"  
_____________________  
  
"Class this is Ranma Saotome. He had just recently returned from a trip to China, so let's all give him a big 'Nihao' welcome!"  
  
Ranma gave a courteous bow to the class, before speaking on his behalf, "Thanks for the welcome, I kinda haveta admit that I ain't got much experience hanging around people, so if I seem a bit shy, I apologise." Ranma smiled, acting like he didn't notice the attentive intrest he had from the girls in one fashion, and from the guys he had speculative intrest. This would make things a lot easier about fitting in.  
  
"Ranma, you may take your seat next to Akane Tendou. She can show you around later." Ranma obeyed the teacher, and sat down where he was assigned. Akane was looking at him with a somewhat confused expression, "Something wrong?"  
  
Akane's face scrunched up a bit, before responding, "Why are you suddenly talking like that? You were speaking like that when we first met, come to think of it..."  
  
Ranma stared at Akane in uncomprehension, though inside he was cursing himself for underestimating the girl. He quickly realized that it was something he could use to his advantage, though. "Well," the pigtailed boy started in a chagrinned voice, "I sort of never could make any friends, and I thought it was because I sound a bit..."  
  
"Nerdy?" Akane asked, attempting to be helpful, while sounding sympathetic.  
  
Ranma smiled gratefully, "Yes, a bit nerdy, as you said. People tend to have a hard time relating to me, I think."  
  
"Oh," Akane replied in comprehension. She realized that Ranma was always so polite an courteous because he was always trying to make friends; that would explain why he was kow-towing to Kuno. The raven-haired girl decided that Ranma may actually be one of those boys that she could finally relate with... and be friends.  
  
Next to Akane, Ranma had turned away to seem like he was paying attention to the class. If Akane had been looking at his eyes, she would have noticed the darker, sharper edge they seemed to have gained. Ranma himself was savoring his minor victory, as he already knew what Akane was thinking.  
  
His silent victory didn't last, as his latest aquaintance burst into the classroom. "I FORBID YOUR ENGAGEMENT TO AKANE TENDOU!"  
_____________________  
  
"Japan?" The young man of Chinese descent in white robes with long hair replied in calm question, "So, he has returned back to your homeland?"  
  
"Yeah," replied the bandanna-clad boy with a deep growl, "That's what people who have seen them said they were going."  
  
"I hope you're correct on this," the other young man said, pushing his thick glasses higher onto his face, "We can't afford to let him run amok too long. Saotome has proven to be far more dangerous then we had realized."  
  
"Far... far more than any of us could have realized," a wizened voice stated, coming up from behind the two young men, "I can confirm what young Hibiki had surmised. Saotome was indeed heading for the land of the Rising Sun."  
  
"Then let's go," the young man named Hibiki demanded, "The sooner we kill him, the faster we'll be able to save someone else from your grand-daughter's fate!"  
  
"Patience must coincide with our need for haste," the old woman in green robes with short hair replied, "Saotome has proven too wiley and deadly to make an attempt at without a plan. Plus, we have no idea his whereabouts in Japan. Your country may not be near as big as China, but it is vast, nonetheless."  
  
"Cologne is correct," the young man in the white robes commented, "but we can surmise his location within much easier once we are within your nation's borders."  
  
"That's presuming he kept that fool of a father with him," the old woman named Cologne interjected, "It seems far too foolish for Ranma himself to keep him around. I'm pretty sure he knows how much of a trail his father is causing him to leave behind."  
  
"Perhaps he wants us to follow him?" Mousse enquired, musing the notion.  
  
Cologne gave him a grave look, "If he is wanting us to follow him, that would be disasterous."  
  
"Why?" Ryoga asked, sounding anxious from all the talking they were doing, instead of hunting down their advisary, "There's no way Ranma can take on all three of us, especially with me and Mousse's extra training you've been giving us."  
  
"Why?" Cologne replied, as if Ryoga should greatly fear the answer, "Because, young man, that would mean he's expecting us..." 


	7. Part 6

Ranma/ Hannibal  
'Mind Games'  
  
  
  
  
"Couldn't this wait, Kuno?" Ranma asked in a practiced rough and irritated tone.  
  
"NAY!" Kuno shouted, pointing the end of his bokken towards Ranma, it is my just duty, foul knaive, that I challenge this travesty towards my love, Akane Tendou!"  
  
"i don't know how you found out about that," Ranma stated, ignoring the shocked gasps and hurried whispers of his fellow classmates for his confirmation; he would allow Akane to deal with them, "but it's not any of your business. Besides, we're both against it as much as you are!"  
  
"What? You say?" Kuno was derailed for an instant, but quickly rerouting his thoughts to blame it as a truthless denial; who would not want the lovely youngest Tendou's hand in matrimony?  
  
"It's our parent's idea! They made some deal before we were even born that they would marry. As nice as Akane is, she ain't gonna appreciate being pushed into something she has no control over, or be bothered by a guy that she barely knows, much less pushes her into it." In a low voice, realizing he had most of the classe's attention, he continued, "I ain't gonna upset a friend just for some misplaced honor. She's free to choose who she likes." Akane had stopped her heated denials of the engagement to classmates who wanted details, turning to Ranma with a surprised expression.  
  
Kuno stood frozen, considering the point. After several moments, he nodded, and put away his bokken, "Perhaps my sources were in error. I was told that you and Akane had pointed intrest in one another, by some common intrest."  
  
"Well, we're both martial artists, but that's about it, really," Ranma replied, "but I still haven't even chose any of Akane and her sisters, since I don't know if they like me or not. I guess Nabiki failed to tell you that I was kinda engaged to all of them until I picked one?"  
  
"Indeed she did," Kuno replied, relaxing, "Forgive my interruption, continue with your studies. Saotome, Tendou, fair educator." Kuno turned, and prepared to leave the room.  
  
"Oh, Kuno, if you would be so kind as to bring this note to the vice principle, please? I would greatly appreciate it," said fair educator asked, handing the penalty slip to the young kendoist.  
  
"If that is your request, I shall make the delivery post haste," Kuno bowed again, and left. Once Kuno was gone, Ranma leaned towards Akane.  
  
"You certainly have some novel characters that attend this school."  
____________________  
  
Without further incident, Ranma made it through the first day of school. "Hmm, something troubling you, Akane?"  
  
"Well," Akane started, being shaken from her turmoiled pondering, "It's wierd. You're the first person, boy or girl, who ever stuck up for me like that."  
  
Ranma smiled internally, "I know how it is to not fit in. Nobody really makes the effort to know what you're going through, and you often get blamed for it indirectly. Then it becomes a problem with relating to others, and even if they consider you their friends, they're applying the term rather loosely, if they can't see your point of view."  
  
Akane thought deeply on that. It sounded true, regardless of what she thought about her two best friends Yuka and Sayuri, or of her sisters. They tended to offer her advice that was directed at her, usually along the lines of restraining herself. It wasn't her fault that she's good at martial arts, so Kuno decided that he was the best match for her, in turn bringing every guy in school in on it. She was a tomboy, so? She didn't know how to cook.. well... or that she participated in more masculine physical activities. Why should she change? They should be fine with how she was in the first place, not trying to make her be someone else in order to solve her problems. "I never thought of it like that."  
  
"That may be the reason I have so much trouble making friends, myself. I'm always looking for someone who can understand me, who I can depend on to not aways question my motives, and is willing to be a friend. And if I ever need something, they wouldn't hesitate to give a hand." Ranma sighed, as if he was considering the unobtainable, "I guess I just don't understand people. Maybe I'm just too optomistic in what I want out of a friend."  
  
"I... I don't think that's too much to ask," Akane timidly spoke. Ranma blinked in feigned confusion, turning to the girl. Once she had his attention, she grew more conviction in her tone, "Ranma, I can't promise that I'll always understand you, but I can promise that I will try as hard as I can." With a nod, she stuck out her right hand in offering, "Would you like to be friends, Ranma?"  
  
Ranma shook her hand, "I would like nothing more, Akane."  
  
Perfect.  
____________________  
  
"Welcome home, Akane, Ranma," Kasumi greeted, meeting Akane's beeming smile with her own, "It's good to see you returning from school a little more cheerful, Akane-chan."  
  
"Thanks," her younger sister replied, before walking past.  
  
"Ranma, if you would meet me in the living tea room, please." Ranma had a few ideas, but he was curious as to what Mr. Tendou wanted.  
  
"Sure, lemme take my shoes off, first." Shortly, Ranma was sitting across the dining table, patiently awaiting Soun, as he took a drag from his cigerette.  
  
"Ranma, do you think you could contact your father now? I am glad to have his son as my guest, but I rather miss my old training partner. I don't suppose something has become of him, has it?"  
  
"Uh, nope, Pop's is just staying at a hotel nearby," Ranma scratched his head, sheepishly, "I kinda wanted to make sure he wasn't trying to pull another scam with this marraige thing. It wouldn't be the first time, ya know?"  
  
Soun stared blankly at Ranma, not sure what he meant, but nodded, nonetheless, "Understood, if you like, you can use the phone in the hall."  
  
"Alright, he'll probably be here by tonight, then, assuming he hasn't gotten fat off the hotel, and decided to take up residense there."  
  
"Heh, that would sound a great deal like the Genma Saotome I know," Soun said with a robust chuckle. Ranma gave a small one of his own to humor the man, and left to make a call. He had used the large sum of wealth he amassed through the dicipline he earned from one of his more favored mentors to put his father up in one of the most posh hotels he could find in the area, ensuring his father wouldn't be in a hurry be on his way. He was partially truthful in saying that he wanted to ensure his father wasn't pulling another scam, but he hadn't known about the engagement until last night when he arrived. Plus, he had intended to, shall we say, survey the playing field, before he allowed his father to interfere with anything he could come up with. Genma wasn't very bright, but he had a knack for meddling in things, and causing Ranma all sorts of duress. Unfortunately, it was necessary to keep him around.  
  
"Hey, Pop?"  
  
"Boy! So I can assume you have a fiancee, now?"  
  
"Funny, Pop. Mr. Tendou wants to see ya as soon as possible, I think he misses ya."  
  
"Fine, I'll be there in a little while... you paying for the room, right boy?"  
  
"It's already taken care of," Ranma said with an irritated tone, "just get your butt down here, old man."  
  
"You need to learn some respect."  
  
"Ya gonna teach me?" Ranma replied in challenge.  
  
Genma said nothing, instead choosing to hang up. Ranma expected tomorrow morning's training to be somewhat interesting, as he walked back into the tea room. "Pop'll be on his way shortly. Can ya tell me when Nabiki'll get home?"  
  
"Hmm?" Soun perked up, "Have you taken some intrest in her? I hear she is also pretty popular with the boys at school."  
  
"I can say honestly that there are a few things I would like to discuss with her," Ranma replied, being careful not to let his irritation known.  
  
"She usually arrives about thirty minutes after Akane does, so it shouldn't be long." Ranma nodded, and decided to wait outside for her.  
____________________  
  
"Welcome home, Nabiki." The girl stopped, just shy of pushing the gates to her home open, and looked from her outreached hand to see Ranma reclined on top of the wall to her right. Ranma hopped down, and walked up close to her. his eyes were at a slight level higher than hers, but it felt as if he was looking down at her. She also noted the slight glimmer of amusement with a touch of reproach in his eyes.  
  
"Hello, Ranma, couldn't this wait until I was in the house? I'm not sure to how you did things on the road, but that's how it's usually done in civilization." Nabiki drawled, deciding that mocking him would take him down a bit.  
  
"Charming," Ranma replied, not taking the bait, "Allow me to walk you to the door."  
  
Nabiki frowned, as Ranma pushed the gate open for her, "What's with the prime and proper? I hope you're not trying to sound smart for my benefit."  
  
"Oh, nothing like that, I just wanted to discuss a few matters on a level that is more befitting of your mental capacity. I rather enjoy not having to indulge the less, mentally exercised, as it were, with improper speech habits. I think I would enjoy conversing with you."  
  
"Right..." Nabiki started down the stone laiden path to the front door of the household, "You can cut the act, if this is something to get me to agree with the engagement. it takes a lot more than a fast-talker to turn my attention, Saotome."  
  
"I see, is that why you failed to inform Kuno that you were also part of the engagement?"  
  
Nabiki stopped, and turned to Ranma with an expression of mock indignant shock, "Why Ranma, you don't honestly think that I had anything to do with that, do you?"  
  
Ranma's expression remained serious, "I'm quite positive, yes. You're a bit of a schemer, I imagine. You probably find amusement in misdirection; garnering entertainment by playing with people like little marionettes on strings, dancing to the merry little tune of your whims."  
  
Nabiki's face became serious, "That's an awfully big accusation to make, Ranma."  
  
"One I wouldn't make unless I was certain, I assure you." Ranma wrapped an arm around Nabiki's shoulder, causing the girl to start to reach up to remove it. She stopped, feeling some sort of primal sense of danger, if she were to commit to the action. She then noticed the sharp, deadly, piercing aspect that was housed in his eyes, and the urgent, animalistic sense to flee grew.  
  
"I would just like to warn you, that such actions tend to have... dire consequences." Ranma's tone remained light and jovial, as he lead Nabiki up the steps, "I wouldn't want you to get in over your head." With that, he pulled away, and started to open the front door.  
  
"There's more to you than you're even letting on to me, Saotome," Nabiki challenged.  
  
Ranma turned back to her with a light smile, "Well, we all got secrets, but it ain't the secrets you gotta worry about."  
  
Kasumi had been watching from the front window, but couldn't hear anything. She was rather happy to see Ranma making an effort to court Nabiki; her sister always seemed uninterested in any of the local boys. And though Nabiki didn't seem too happy about his approaches, there had to be some intrest, since she hadn't removed Ranma's arm from her shoulder.  
  
"They make such a lovely couple," Kasumi stated to herself, before retiring to the kitchen to start preparations for dinner. 


	8. Part 7

Ranma/ Hannibal  
'Mind Games'  
  
  
  
They were out there. The yellow, callow-like eyes of what seemed like hundreds of the yowling, menacing beasts. The young child couldn't make them out in the dark, but he could hear their scurrying, sense their silent suffles, and their not so silent pleas for sustenance that were low but deafening to his youthful and frightened ears. They were hungry, he could smell their desperation in the black, stilled air, mingled with their unsanitary spore. The torturous smell tore at him just as sharply as their claws intended, following their wielder's demanding orders to rip apart the only source of food within their grasp, the only nourishment enclosed within the pit of feral desperation.  
  
As strong as the urge to relieve the agonizing pits within their stomach, the sense of dread, of something far worse than their paltry hunger, kept them at bay. The four year old boy dare not sob, he dare not cry, all he could do was clutch tighter to the chest of the only thing that was more terrifying, and ironically less menacing than the drooling, mewing, mangy creatures that had been stripped down to their essential instincts.  
  
The pair of strong arms encircling the young boy, as he peaked behind him to ensure that the creatures had not bound upon him. The owner of these arms looked down at the boy being held. The expression could not be seen, yet what little light that managed to find its way into the dank pit had discovered the eyes.  
  
Ice cold slate gray eyes that held a morbid satisfaction at the events their owner orchestrated. It was impossible to tell if the deadly mirthful twinkle they held was from the dozens of desperate beasts being kept at bay with but a presence, or the child growing dependence upon his capture and savior.  
  
In a calm, articulate, nerve shattering voice, the yowls and mews and hisses had been cut through like a blade through soft, delicate flesh...  
  
"Nice kitty..."  
___________________________  
  
"That should be the old man, now," Ranma griped out loud, as he intercepted Kasumi to open the door, "I'll get it, while you continue to work on that delicious breakfast of yours!"  
  
"But it's not proper for guests to an-"  
  
"Ah, don't worry about it," Ranma interrupted, "It's the least I can do around here!" Kasumi nodded, and walked back into the kitchen.  
  
Ranma opened the door, to find a bald man in a travel-worn gi and round-rim spectacles upon his nose. "What took ya, Pops? Ya said you would be here by last night!"  
  
Ranma's father's expression grew stern, "Learn some respect, boy! I thought it was best if I waited until morning so... ah... I didn't waste the extra night on the room you would have paid for, anyhow!" The elder man looked up, clutching his fist at chest height, "I was only thinking of the value, Ranma! I would never allow your hard-earned money to be so precariously wasted!"  
  
Ranma gave his father a half lidded stare, "The room service bill on my card is going to be high, ain't it, Pop?"  
  
"Um..." the older started, "Say, where's that old pal of mine, Tendou? Hadn't seen him since just a time after the... ah... nevermind that!"  
  
Ranma shrugged, and let his father in, "Probably still preparing for the morning. Think he was the last one to use the tub today."  
  
"I see," the stout man replied, while adjusting his glasses. Without warning, his hand shot out, and grabbed his son's shirt, before tossing him out the door.  
  
Ranma easily recovered, inverting himself rightside-up before landing on his feet, "Whaddya do that for?"  
  
"You shoulda seen that com'n, boy!" The elder Saotome leapt to press the offensive, "Always remember the code, Ranma! A martial artist should ALWAYS be prepared for an attack at any moment!"  
  
Ranma internally growled at his father's impudence, but followed the pursuit of combat, thus beginning the morning spar of the Saotomes.  
___________________________  
  
Nabiki had been the last one up, feeling no obligation to waking up early on a non-school day. Even now, waking up wasn't by her choice, as that had been taken away from her by the sounds of intense combat going on outside her home.  
  
True, living at a dojo, such sounds shouldn't be all that uncommon, nonetheless...  
  
"I swear, if this is another challenger that couldn't wait for a decent hour..." The middle Tendou sister pulled herself out of bed, and headed out to check on the commotion. She came next to Kasumi, and found the source. "Geez, Ranma really *was* holding back against Akane..."  
  
That much was obvious, as Ranma traded intensive, high speed blows against the newcomer in mid-air. Eventually, the two would come back to earth, before retreating to the air to renew battle. Akane had by this time, finished her morning jog, and had not missed the sounds, herself.  
  
She came around to the front, freezing with shock at the spectacle before her. With a slight emphisizing of will to bring her out of her awe, her expression darkened; coming to the same conclusion her middle sister did.  
  
It didn't escape the younger Saotome's attention that he currently had an audience, and decided that it was time that he was 'humbled'.  
  
"Sloppy, boy!" was the call that preceeded Ranma's descent into the fish pond. The elder Saotome landed on the side, as a redhead rose out of the water, "With a mistake like that, I shall have to retrain you from the beginning!"  
  
"Oh, shove it, Pop," the redheaded girl commented, while pulling herself from the small body of water, "Now I'm gonna have to go bathe again!" Akane deserved immidiate attention, because it was likely she was feeling like she had been patronized. "Hey, Akane, you wanna spar, before breakfast?"  
  
"You were holding back on me!" She accused, finding herself building a familiar anger at the slight sense of betrayal.  
  
Ranma easily returned an answer, "No, I didn't!" The guileless, blank and slightly confused expression across the redhead's face threw Akane, as well as Kasumi. Nabiki, however...  
  
"Then what was all that you were just doing?" Akane retorted, attempting not to allow herself to be derailed.  
  
Ranma scratched her head, sheepishly, "Well, I can't use all that in a straight kempo match, can I?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Akane asked, finding it difficult to maintain her anger at Ranma's consoling voice.  
  
"How about we have ourselves an anything-goes match, and I'll show you what I mean."  
  
Akane's nose scrunched up at the thought, realizing what Ranma was alluding to, "Sure, lemme go get my gi, first." With that, Akane rushed into the dojo.  
  
"That your fiancee, boy?" Genma demanded, crossing his arms and staring after Akane contemplatively.  
  
Ah, shove it, Pops," Ranma-chan replied, evading an answer that would put the situation back directly in the spotlight. As she was talking, she also removed her top, and began to wring it out, 'seemingly' unaware of the Tendou Patriarch arriving with a toothbrush still in his mouth. An act that kept his side of the argument quiet. "Geez, these things get in the way, dunno how you girls handle them so well!" The 'unintentional' jiggle would keep Soun in a catatonic state for the time being, at least until the discussion was forgotten.  
  
It hadn't taken long for Akane to change, as she rushed back out to meet her soon to be opponent, "Okay, let's head back to the dojo so we can start!"  
  
"Um, why not out in the open here?" Ranma-chan asked with a confused expression that all but one bought.  
  
Akane thought for a moment, before nodding, and moving out into the open to take stance.  
  
"Go easy on her, boy," the elder Saotome commanded.  
  
"Ain't gonna," Ranma replied, taking her own aggressive stance against Akane, earning an almost incredulous glare from her father, "She ain't gonna appreciate me babying her like that."  
  
Akane threw a quick look to the older man, but said nothing about his comment, "Let's begin!"  
  
Ranma matched Akane's forward charge, while deciding on a course of action. Akane needed to be humored, while not tipping her own father off. The redhead brought her right knee up to catch the other girl in the gut, forcing Akane to panic, and bring both arms down for a low cross guard.  
  
Ranma knew she would overlay her right arm on top of the left arm for the guard, and quickly brought her right arm across, and towards Akane's left side. Akane almost brought her right arm up, believing Ranma was going to strike to her right, but quickly changed guards to her left arm to block.  
  
The raven-haired girl was staggered, not even realizing that Ranma had then leapt into the air. Once she regained her balance, she felt the world fuzz over. Ranma rolled to her feet, after landing from her headward dive to the back of Akane, turned, and caught the other girl as she was collapsing backwards.  
  
To everyone but the elder Saotome, the two had disappeared into a blur that streaked back into the house.  
  
"Oh dear, I hope Akane is alright," Kasumi voiced in concern, looking towards the door they had entered in.  
  
"She better be," Nabiki whispered, deciding to follow them inside.  
  
Genma scoffed at the ease in which Soun's heir had been defeated, and turned to his still catatonic former training partner, "Tendou! It's been too long...!"  
___________________________  
  
Akane awoke to find a wetcloth on her forehead, while laying on the guestrooom floor. "What...?"  
  
"I'm really sorry!" Ranma apologise, fretting over the other girl, "I got carried away. You're okay, right?"  
  
Akane sat up, removing the wetcloth from her forehead, "I feel okay, what happened?"  
  
"Well, I used something I guess you weren't ready for, but I didn't realize you may not have seen it before. It was a pretty dangerous thing for me to do.." Ranma-chan wrung her hands together, looking away, "and I'm sorry."  
  
"It's alright," Akane replied, feeling her own hubris kick in, "I guess I have a long way to go before I match you, huh?"  
  
Ranma's expression grew serious, as she started to open up her shirt, and turned away from Akane.  
  
"Wha, what are you doing?"  
  
"hopefully you never have to go the same route I did, Akane," Ranma replied, sternly, "See that scar on my shoulderblade?"  
  
The other girl appeared closely, then nodded, "Yeah..."  
  
"Got it when I was five, from some extremely dangerous training. I used to have lots of them all over, but they faded away over time." Ranma turned back to her, while closing her shirt, "I wouldn't want any friend of mine to go through what I had to for the art. I wish I didn't have to go through everything I did..."  
  
Akane felt like a heel, as she saw the girl's now somber expression. Outside the door, Nabiki silently applauded Ranma's stellar performance. 


	9. Part 8

Ranma/Hannibal  
Mindgames  
The roaring sound of billions of tears from the sky slamming immercifully against any surface freely availible barely drowned out the crashing thunder. Any other sound was swallowed into the cacophony of dull, deafening noise, and went unnoticed to her, as she stared into his eyes.  
  
Eyes that seemed a rose-crystal color where they should be blue, like diamond vampires sucking her essence away from where she stood, ten feet away. The umbrella he held over his head never wavered; stone colored against the shapless grayness he stood in that was only defined by the barely identifyable streaks of pouring rain.  
  
Ranma's eyes were complimented by the humorless smile upon his face. A smile of a predator, a smile of a sadist, a smile of someone who found nothing more pleasureful than tearing you apart; mentally, physically, spiritually.  
  
As she wiped a loose strand of hair from her face, she noticed something else about the smile directed towards her. There was a certain intrest; not of amusement, and something other than sexual. Obviously an attraction he found in her, but too unnerving for her mind to decipher.  
  
Without a word, or change in countenance, Ranma turned, and walked away, allowing the gray, gloomy atmosphere to swallow him.  
  
She demanded answer, as to what he was doing, why he was doing it, and moved to follow, until...  
__________________  
  
Nabiki's alarm clock stirred her from slumber, sygnifying yet another day of potential prosperity and strife. Immidiately, thoughts of their houseguest came to mind; she already decided that Ranma was much more than he had even alluded to, making himself more of an enigma than she had ever encountered.  
  
He was a liability, someone capable of disrupting her comfortable routine. It wasn't that he thought he was all that dangerous, just a bit on the weird side. Nonetheless, it was only prudence that she uncover as much as possible about him; any extra coin in her pocket, as she would say.  
__________________  
  
"Hey Nabiki... you taking off already?"  
  
Nabiki said not a word, as she walked by Ranma, and put on her shoes to leave. She barely turned a glance towards him, but it seemed as if he missed it entirely. With that look, she asked herself the multitudes of questions that she needed to get answers for; how good was he really? What had happened on his training trip for ten years? What lay in his history to be unearthed?  
  
Nabiki decided that she needed to get to school early, so she may start the trail down Ranma's past. Ranma snorted, when Nabiki failed to reply, and smiled a bit to himself.  
__________________  
  
"Aoi, I need a big favor..."  
  
The senior that was currently presiding as office aide turned to the middle Tendou sister with more than just a tiny bit of fear.  
  
"Ah... what is it you need?" She asked in a guarded tone. Nabiki asking anyone for favors usually meant she had something on them that would prove... probmatic if unveiled, or she was desperate.  
  
Nabiki... desperate... syntax error.  
  
"I need you to check on a new studen't records for me, it's pretty important!"  
  
Nabiki wouldn't be so direct if she had something on her. "Ah... you know I can't do that, Nabiki." Still, even tempting fate was unsettling.  
  
Nabiki's grew into that oblivous expression when she was thinking, not a good sign for Aoi. "I understand, but it was pretty important. I just wanted to find out about the new kid staying with us, that's all."  
  
"Considered asking him directly?" Aoi countered, folding her arms across her chest. The more the conversation went on, the more she realized she wasn't in any danger.  
  
Nabiki fumed to herself, wishing she had the time to find out a little more about the quiet little office aide. Unfortunately, though he didn't seem much of a physical threat... yet, Ranma made Nabiki a bit jumpy. With a fustrated growl, Nabiki stormed from the office, deciding that she was going to have to become more prepared for next time.  
  
Aoi sighed, finally allowed to make her quick trip to the bathroom. She quickly got up, and scurried out of the office herself, towards the girl's lavatory. Fortunately for Nabiki, she had been at the other end of the hall, getting a drink of water, when she noticed the office aide rushing to the bathroom.  
  
Nabiki quickly entered the office, and headed for the file room. It didn't take long for her to locate the specific records she needed, and opted to just keep them for the time being, and return them later.  
__________________  
  
"Akane..."  
  
The girl in question turned towards Ranma, walking beside her, with a curious expression.  
  
"Your sister, what's she like?"  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"Nabiki, she's the one with short hair, right?" Ranma knew full well which one was Nabiki, but decided that the vague observation approach may help him better in this instance.  
  
Akane turned back forward, "Well, she's a bit flippant sometimes, and she's a bit of a mercenary. She can be a bit irritating if you let her, though. Usually it's best to stay on her good side, and ignore her when she tries to tease you."  
  
"I see," Ranma mused.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I dunno," Ranma replied, slipping back into a more 'relaxed' speech pattern for Akane's benefit, "Something about her kinda worries me, you know? I guess I'm just being paranoid."  
  
Akane chuckled, "Ranma, being paranoid around Nabiki is probably a *good* thing!"  
  
Ranma shared in the laugh, but his eyes held a different attitude.  
__________________  
  
Throughout lunch, Nabiki scanned through Ranma's records. It was surprising to find that he held a substantial gradepoint average, even with his erronious attendance. Nabiki presumed Ranma may have been about genious level, and upgraded him as a threat. Still not all that grave of one, but someone to most assuradly keep under close observation.  
  
Other than his academic record, the locations he had stayed for some brief amounts of time, and part of his slight, meticulous medical history, Nabiki was unable garner much on her potential fiance. With a sigh of fustration, she copied down the list of locations Ranma had stayed at and at the time he was there to do further research, and left the cafeteria to return the records.  
__________________  
  
The day at school ended without much event, and the after-hours before dinner, once they returned home, had proven just as uneventful. Ranma and Akane had been discussing homework, as Nabiki looked upon the two.  
  
She noted how comfortable Akane was with Ranma, which meant the spotlight for the engagement was off of the middle Tendou daughter. That filled her with a slight relief that was unfortunately tainted with reservations. Akane wasn't exactly favorable with any guy, yet Ranma had managed to get her to warm up to him, even with several non-favorable incidents in which Akane had been slighted. What did her sister and him have in common?  
  
Nabiki quickly turned her gaze away from Ranma, as he turned his head slightly back to her, not quite paying attention to Nabiki, but enough to acknowledge she was there, and that he may have noticed her boring gaze. She cursed herself for drawing his attention, and decided that she should remove herself from his presence, in case she drew too much attention to her activities.  
  
Akane looked up to see her sister walking out of the room, but paid little attention to it, before returning to Ranma, "You're the only one in the class who's got all this figured out, I swear, Ranma!"  
  
The pigtailed boy's attention snapped back to his peer, before he nervously began to scratch his head, "Well, I guess I'm just a bit lucky about it. I had to study English while I was traveling, so I have the experience over the rest of you."  
  
Akane nodded, "Well, I'm glad you did." Her eyes rolled up and to the left towards the ceiling corner, "It's funny, the way you explain it makes much more sense than even the teacher."  
  
"Well," Ranma answered, "I think it's more of understanding how another person interperates things. I guess we have a similarity in perspective."  
  
Akane frowned at that, "You're saying you know how I think?"  
  
Not an intentional trap, Ranma knew, but just her subconcious safety mechanism bred from her distrust. "No, nothing like that, I'm pretty sure even the teacher could help you just as well, if he were directly focusing on you. I mean teaching a broad group of people in the same manner wouldn't yeild as well the results."  
  
Akane seemed visibly relieved at the answer, "That makes sense."  
  
"Thank you," Ranma replied, before standing up, "If you'll excuse me, I'm a bit thirsty, want anything?"  
  
"I'm fine, thanks," Akane replied, going back to identifying the parts of the complex English sentence.  
  
Ranma walked into the kitchen, to find exactly who he was looking for. "You've been snooping around."  
  
Nabiki took another spoonful of her icecream, before looking back at Ranma, "What ever do you mean, Saotome?"  
  
"I mean that you've been watching me ever since we've returned from school. The other day, you expressed a great deal of intrest in me, which itself isn't all that suspicious, but you haven't asked me anything directly." Ranma tilted his head in curiousity, while Nabiki's face remained flippant, "What did you find out from my school records?"  
  
Nabiki quickly began choking on the mouthful of icecream she was swallowing, before finally working it down the right pipe. "Thought so," Ranma replied, leaning against the counter next to Nabiki in the kithen.  
  
"W-what are you talking about?" Nabiki replied between her gasps.  
  
"Nabiki...chan..." Ranma started, giving her a term of endearment meant for slight intimidation, "you're not *that* clever. I figured out the reason you were rushing to school this morning had something to do with me, since you were trying to ignore me. Of course, that may have been from some dislike towards me, but that fleeting glance you gave me told me that you held no animosity towards me." Ranma leaned back from the counter, as Nabiki watched him with slightly narrowed eyes and a cool expression. "And since no one at school knows me, I could safely presume that you were interested in my records, not that they would tell you much exept that I'm a good student. The reaction you just gave me only confirmed it."  
  
Nabiki attempted to appear nonchilant, "So, why don't you tell me about yourself? You seem like an interesting person."  
  
Ranma smirked, before fully pulling away from the kitchen counter, "Then where would the fun be in that?" He asked with an innocent expression, as he went to a cabinet and got a glass, "I trust you will tell me what you discover?" With that, he filled it with water from the sink, and left back for the tearoom to continue his homework with Akane, leaving Nabiki seething and even moreso determined. 


	10. Part 9

Ranma/Hannibal; Mind Games  
The young boy walked listlessly out into the street, seeming in a daze. Several morning pedestrians spotted him, and fretted over such a young child walking in the middle of the street, despite barely any traffic ever passing on it.  
  
A lady on her way to work took the initiative, and walked out to the boy, "Young man, where are your parents? You shouldn't be walking out in the middle of the street!"  
  
As soon as she approached the boy, he seemed to only then notice her. With a shrill scream of panic, he dropped to the ground, covering his face with his arms in a screaming wail.  
  
The woman abruptly stopped, wide-eyed at the scene.  
________________________________  
  
"Tokyo?"  
  
Cologne nodded, "There has been several rather, exorbant killings as of late, proposed by a single person."  
  
"What makes the so sure of that?" Ryoga spat in his usual constant anger, "it could be a whole group of guys! Why should we even believe it's Ranma?"  
  
"Is there a reason not to?" Mousse replied in a collected, unemotional voice. He kept his back turned towards the elder and his current partner, staring at the campfire.  
  
"YES!" Ryoga shouted, "If it isn't Ranma, we would have wasted our time with some bastard out to make a name for himself! Ranma's the one we need to be concerned about!"  
  
"And we have no leads as to where Ranma currently is at the moment," Cologne interjected, "As far as we are in things, we have no other ideas. If this does indeed turn into a farce..."  
  
"Then Ranma will know that we're here!" Ryoga snapped.  
  
Cologne stared at Ryoga, barely witholding her anger, "You will be silent when I speak, and you will follow my directions. Do you not recall the pledge you made in order to regain your vengence on him?"  
  
Ryoga's eyes narrowed, "I am not about to waste time on a wild goose chase for some idiot with a knife fettish. Ranma's far more dangerous than any-"  
  
"Ryoga."  
  
"What do you want, Mousse?"  
  
The Amazon male turned towards the two, allowing his crystal blue eyes, a side effect of his advance soul of ice training, to be seen by them, "The news reports stated that there was an amazing amount of precision done to the bodies... as they were fleeing, not when they were dead."  
  
Ryoga's face firmed in comprehension, "So, you believe it was done by a martial artist?"  
  
"Whoever it is was called 'the Surgical killer' by the media for his precision in his kills. Many have even gone as far as to say that there wasn't a blade that would be long enough to cut someone in half that could remain sharp enough to make cuts so clean. We all know that a martial artist of high calibur would be able to weild a sword with enough ability to make a cut perfectly clean, like a surgeon's scapel. Mousse explained, his voice remaining even, uncaring, through out.  
  
"So, boy, do you choose to still argue against our next course of action?" Cologne enquired with a voice that dared the bandanna clad boy to say 'no'.  
  
Ryoga snarled, "I guess this is our best bet, at the moment..."  
________________________________  
  
"[-cent string of murders by the publically dubbed 'surgical killer' has yet to show any signs of...]"  
  
Akane and Ranma came downstairs, finding both their parents staring sternly at the television. Genma and Soun turned towards their children with grim expressions.  
  
"Akane, I would like you to go get your sisters for a family meeting."  
  
Not questioning the serious, concerned expression her father wore, Akane complied. Within moments, both Kasumi and Nabiki were joined Ranma and Akane across from their fathers.  
  
Soun was halfway through his cigerette, and quickly attempting to finish it. The girls noticed that he still had his pack of carthenoginics out in the open, as if he were ready to recieve another one; whatever he had to say, wasn't going to be good.  
  
"Girls, and Ranma," Soun began, before taking another puff, "There has been a recent outbreak of serial killings in Tokyo, as well as young children being kidnapped during the night, and returned the next day, traumitized."  
  
The girls all looked at each other, nervously, as Ranma nodded solumnly to both parents. "You're want'n us to start being careful, right Mr. Tendou, Pops?"  
  
"Indeed," Soun replied, "Nabiki, Kasumi, I request that the two of you are not to leave the house, unless it's within the company of me, Genma, Ranma, or your Sister Akane."  
  
"I... I understand, father," Kasumi replied. Nabiki showed her distate for the idea, but said nothing, for she saw the prudence in it.  
  
"Akane, Ranma, you two best be on your guard at all times, and remember the code of the martial artist."  
  
"You can count on me, Dad," Akane answered.  
  
"Always," Ranma added with a confident smirk, before his expression turned serious, "I promise, on my word as a martial artist, that I won't let any harm fall on your daughters."  
  
"Thank you, my boy," the Tendou Patriarch replied, gratefully, before continuing, "This is only until these incidents are resolved, so do not fret, my daughters."  
  
"Yes, Father," All three girls replied in unison.  
  
"Boy, you better uphold the Saotome honor in this," Genma commanded his son in a strict and stern voice.  
  
"Don't worry, Pops, i'll protect whatever honor you haven't already destroyed," Ranma returned, iliciting puzzled looks from the Tendous.  
  
"You may go, girls, and remember to practice extreme caution." The three girls nodded, before standing, and leaving. Ranma had gotten up to follow them, before his father's voice stopped him.  
  
"Ranma, where have you been going in the middle of the night?"  
  
The pigtailed girl stopped, and looked back at the two, "Out to think about things. You know I do that when I can't sleep, Pops."  
  
"Just as well," Soun continued for the elder Saotome, "It would be best if you remained within grounds of the household on your... nightly excursions."  
  
"And why's that?" Ranma equired, not liking the idea.  
  
"You may be an elite martial artist, but it doesn't pay to take chances in these matters," Soun answered, arguing the prudence of his and Genma's decision.  
  
"So, you're tell'n me that you're afraid some sick jerk's gonna be able to get the drop on me?" Ranma challenged, internally holding her amusement in, while externally feigning outrage.  
  
"This is for your own good, boy, listen to your elders," Genma ordered, changing Ranma's internal mirth to a great deal of irritance.  
  
"Whatever," the pigtailed girl responded, getting up, and leaving the room.  
  
Ranma walked out into the yard, and stood on the porch, staring ahead, "You can come out now, Nabiki-chan. I know you were listening in."  
  
"Don't call me that," Nabiki commanded, coming out from her hiding place, "Just what have you been doing during your nights, Saotome?"  
  
Ranma chuckled at her demands, "A boy's gotta have his privacy, Nabiki-chan."  
  
"Damn it! I'm older than you... Ranma-chan!" Nabiki responded with no little bile.  
  
"Oh, now that we're so cavalierly using such intimate names for each other, I guess we know one another rather well!" Ranma replied in a jovial tone, "So what have you found out about me, now that would bring out this change in our interpersonal relationship?"  
  
Nabiki seethed, finding Ranma's goading almost unbearable, "Mark my words, Ranma, I will expose you, and whatever secrets your holding from us to the rest of the family, then we'll see if you're worthy to be our fiance`.  
  
"Please do," Ranma replied in a conversational tone, "I mean, I loathe the idea of three such lovely women being forced into a marraige with someone they hardly knew."  
  
Nabiki stood, staring after Ranma, as she chuckled, and walked away.  
________________________________  
  
Akane sat in her room, contemplating her previous match with Ranma. he was truly far above her in skill, but she didn't lord it over her as she expected most would do at any time since.  
  
'Hopefully you never have to go the same route I did, Akane.'  
  
"Did he really have to suffer a lot to get as good as he was?" Akane thought out loud to herself, now finding herself balancing out the fairness of Ranma's ability compared to hers, with whatever unexplained hells Ranma had to contend to get where he was.  
  
Akane realized it. Ranma had gone out of his way to be friendly to her, and every time she had resolved to do the same, she would back out of her word at almost any slight, real or imagined.  
  
"I'm such a hypocrite," Akane said to herself, deciding if she was really going to make it up to Ranma, she would stand by him, and no longer question his integrity, especially with the two of them charged with protecting her sisters.  
  
After all, it was obvious. Unlike most boys, all Ranma wanted from her was a friend, and it was clear that he would never intentionally harm her.  
________________________________  
  
Nabiki stared at the ceiling, as she lay in bed. She hadn't removed her clothes for the night, mainly because she didn't expect much sleep this evening.  
  
Across from her room, she heard the guest room door slide open, and footsteps descend down the stairway. That's what Nabiki had been waiting for.  
  
Quickly, she opened her door; not making a sound as she ensured the hinges were well oiled, and quietly descended the stairs, while making careful steps to avoid the creaky spots she was aware of.  
  
As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard the front door open, then close gently, and waited several seconds before following. In the darkness of the grounds, she could barely make out Ranma striding for the front gates. It wasn't until he easily opened them that his silouette could be made out properly, before he closed the gates behind him.  
  
Instead of opening the gates, Nabiki walked to the front wall, near one of the corners, and climbed a ladder she had placed there earlier.  
  
Stealthily, she jumped from the wall, wincing slightly at the impact. "I need to start practicing a bit more again, I guess," She mused to herself, before looking ahead, and finding Ranma strolling away under the streetlight, oblivious to the world around him.  
  
She continued to trail him, keeping to the shadows and behind walls, and maintaining a good distance between them. Eventually, Ranma made it to his destination, the bridge overpass for the canal. Nabiki watched him descend the stairs, before following, herself.  
  
Once she reached the bottom of the stairs, on the sideway by the canal, and looked both ways, no longer finding Ranma around. Surprised, she looked down one way once more, before turning to run the other way. She stopped under the bridge, and scowled slightly.  
  
"Where the hell did he go?" she thought to herself, not hearing the body stealthily drop from the bridge, and land soundlessly behind her.  
  
With a sudden shock, Nabiki found her mouth covered, causing her to scream into it, while a masculine chest pressed into her back, and a second arm wrapped around her waist, pinning her to her assailent.  
  
"I'm glad you decided to join me on this evening stroll," Ranma commented, as he held Nabiki in his grasp. She attempted to scream again, and frowned, "Ah, ah, it wouldn't do to draw attention to ourselves, would it? What would everyone think about our little nightly rendevous?"  
  
Nabiki couldn't see it, but she could *feel* his expression change into a dangerous smirk. "You are determined to find out so much about me," Ranma continued, adjusting his hold as she tried to shake herself out of his grasp. He was then forced to lift her off the ground to keep her from gaining any leverage, "I have went through the trouble of setting things up so that you may understand some of my... experiences."  
  
Before Nabiki could even contemplate on what he meant by that, she felt conciousness leave her. 


	11. Part 10

Ranma/ Hannibal  
'Mindgames'  
Callow yellow eyes blending almost into the black pit void that lay beyond, focused ferally upon their prey, almost seeming to grow as they came closer; halting before they would launch with rending claws and saliva-drenched teeth that yearned to replace the liquid with the coppery, warm tang of crimson freshly drawn blood.  
  
They made no further movements, staring angrily/balefully/longingly at the respite from their own nawing hunger. They knew their prey understood what it was to them, and both predator and prey knew there was but one thing that stood between them. One that kept the frightened child from unspeakable terror and trauma.  
  
From behind the frightened, little girl, a pair of sharp, slate-gray eyes did nothing but stare maliciously back at the seemingly endles humorless and desperate yellow eyes among the sea of infinite blackness.  
  
The little girl leaned closer into her protector, almost willing for the owner of the deadly gaze to tighten strong arms around her; to protect her always from the harm that she never knew could exist.  
  
"Nice kitties." If they could be seen in the dark, gleeming white teeth exibited in a smile would match the gray, deadly eyes...  
_____________________  
  
Nabiki woke up with a start, her heart racing in a way that could never be associated with sleep. She knew fear, and her fear was overwhelming.  
  
In desperate sobs, Nabiki frantically rushed from her room, disturbing the still silence of the night, as she raced across the hall, and into the guestroom.  
  
The tired pigtailed boy sat up, disturbed by the sound of the sliding door opening. His eyes found Nabiki, just before she practically crashed into him, wrapping her femenine arms around him, and crying in heaving sobs into his chest. Ranma looked over to the panda that had sat up from the noise, returning the puzzled expression the animal wore with one of endeared concern.  
_____________________  
  
During breakfast, Akane felt like scowling at the sight before her. Nabiki hovered about Ranma, seeking seemingly intimate contact with him, as he seemed to console her. Her more negative emotions were kept in check by the cowed expression Nabiki, her infinitely confident sister, was currently wearing, and her silent vow to Ranma.  
  
Nabiki's attentions did not go unnoticed by all others, as the Tendou Patriarch took it in favor, "Ranma-kun, it seems as if my middle daughter has warmed up to you!" Breaking out into tears near hysterics, he continued, "My daughter won't become an old maid, after all!"  
  
Nabiki seemed to duck closer against Ranma, before he whispered comforting words into her ear, and turned to address her father, "Mr. Tendou, I got some... um... this isn't going to be easy to say."  
  
"You're not about to tell me your disintrest in my daughter... ARE YOU?" The sobbing wreck suddenly became a pillar of indignant ire.  
  
Ranma remained nonpluss about it, "Something happened to your daughter, last night."  
  
"WHAT?" Two shouts, one from the father, and one from the youngest daughter, bombarded Ranma. Kasumi brought her hand to her mouth, barely able to utter her own exclamation.  
  
"Some... someone attacked me... last night," Nabiki replied in a most timid tone, looking directly at her father while clutching Ranma like a safety blanket.  
  
"WHO? WHO DID THIS?" Akane demanded, finding an area to reroute her growing and festering anger.  
  
Nabiki shrunk away from her younger sister fearfully, causing Akane's anger to be derailed, as she baulked.  
  
"She was following me last night," Ranma explained in a quiet, guilty tone, "It's my fault."  
  
"You take responcibility for this, boy?" Genma addressed his son with a solumn tone that would brook no argument.  
  
"He... he didn't know I was," Nabiki interjected with but a spark of vehemance, "He was the one that saved me, and brought me home last night."  
  
All eyes were on Nabiki, including Ranma's. He was rather surprised at Nabiki interjection, but refrained from showing it. "Even so, I was told not to leave the house at night. I didn't listen, and Nabiki could have been hurt."  
  
Ranma stood from the table, walked around towards Soun, and kow-towed, "I am deeply sorry about this. My carelessness and disregard for your and my Pop's wishes are not excuses."  
  
"I..." Soun swallowed the lump that had built in his throat, before continuing, "...I'm just relieved my daughter is safe. But please, either of you, do not give this old man such a fright." Ranma nodded, and returned to his seat, as the middle Tendou sister seemed fearfully lost without his close presence.  
  
Nabiki nodded quietly, keeping herself against Ranma, while hugging onto him like a life preserver. "I will make sure to protect your daughters from now on, with my word as a martial artist," Ranma replied with a solumn tone.  
  
"Poor Nabiki," Kasumi whispered, barely recovering from her shock.  
  
"Are you going to be okay?" Akane enquired, reaching over to her sister. Akane was shocked, as Nabiki jolted away from her, as if she were afraid of Akane.  
  
"Ah, maybe we should both stay home from school today, Mr. Tendou," Ranma suggested, once again hugging a fearful Nabiki to him.  
  
Soun nodded, "Nabiki seems secure with your presence, at the moment. I think the idea would be wise."  
  
"Not only that, it would serve to bring the two closer, thus ensuring the joining of our schools!" Genma pointed out, before raising a fan of victory.  
  
Before Soun could join in, Ranma shouted, "HEY! Nabiki was just attacked, and you two idiots want to celebrate engagements?!?"  
  
Ranma stood up, taking Nabiki with him, while she kept her face buried against his chest, like she believed the darkness and warmth of his body would keep her safe. "You two make me sick. Come on, Nabiki, let's get you to your room." With that, they both went upstairs.  
  
Akane stared up after them, before looking down at the table sullenly, and standing up herself, "I need to finish getting ready for school."  
  
Soun watched his youngest leave the room, before sighing, "This whole ordeal is quite a mess, Saotome."  
  
"Indeed, Tendou."  
_____________________  
  
Mousse checked the body that even the police had yet to discover. Him, Ryoga, and Cologne had found it in a desolate alleyway... in several locations.  
  
"This man was pretty powerful, a martial artist," the Chinese young man commented in a particularly cold tone, "He was even attempting to fight back, what with the way the muscles had been tensed."  
  
"Ranma killed him," Ryoga answered, "It's the same as before..."  
  
Cologne turned inquizitively towards the bandanna-clad boy, "So, I thought you presumed this to be the work of some random killer, not our own prey."  
  
Ryoga stared hard at the body, and then off to the three other places they had found the rest of him, "This is definitely his work, now that I've seen it once again. There's no mistaking it..."  
  
"Recalling your initial meeting up with Ranma Saotome?" Cologne enquired, earning a solumn nod from the Lost Boy. He had told both Cologne and Mousse the story before. He had met Ranma in junior high, though the pigtailed boy didn't treat Ryoga with anything more than passing indifference. It was one night, when he accidentally happened upon the pigtailed boy during one of his lost excursions. Hoping he could at least get directions from the other boy, Ryoga kept his eyes focused on Ranma in the thin night crowd, wondering to himself what his classmate was doing out this late in the first place.  
  
Ranma had rounded a corner, and Ryoga did the same, only to find Ranma had dissappeared. Blinking in confusion, Ryoga continued down the alleyway, until he heard sounds of a skirmish. Remembering his duties as a martial artist, Ryoga continued to follow the sounds of battle, until he happened upon the sight.  
  
He had arrived too late.  
  
The next day, Ryoga had felt drained from the disgusting sight of voilence, and the constant questioning from the police. He had told them that he didn't know who it was who had killed the other man, since he didn't get there in time. He decided that he probably just went the wrong way, as usual, when he was following Ranma, and missed him. It was at school that he learned different.  
  
"Was there a reason you were out last night, following me?"  
  
Ryoga stopped, and turned slowly towards Ranma. The pigtailed boy stared back with a dispassionate expression that seemed somewhat unamused with the fanged boy.  
  
"I..." Ryoga didn't know what to say, since the accusation was reletively true.  
  
"Was there something you wanted from me?"  
  
"Directions," Ryoga finally answered, "I wanted to ask you directions."  
  
"Was that it? 'Directions'?" Ranma snorted, "Ryoga Hibiki, you've lived in this area much longer than I have, why would I be able to answer that for you?"  
  
"I didn't think about that, okay?" Ryoga retorted angrily, not wanting to reveal his particular problem.  
  
"You don't seem to think much about things, do you?" Ranma taunted, before turning away. As he watched the pigtailed boy walk away, he knew right then and there that Ranma had something to do with the murder...  
  
"Boy, pay attention!"  
  
Ryoga snapped back from his recollections, once Cologne pounded on his cranium with her staff. He had to wonder how, even with his enhanced Breaking Point training, how she could manage to still harm him even the smallest amount, "What?"  
  
"We're going to book a hotel room nearby, and then study reportings of the murders to see if we may identify a possible pattern. Please make sure to stay close to us, you're invaluable for us to stop Ranma. We also must report this to the local authorities." Ryoga nodded, before turning back to look at the body.  
_____________________  
  
Ranma gave one last look back to the sleeping girl, before leaving Nabiki's room. As he walked downstairs to the kitchen, he was intercepted by Kasumi.  
  
Twisting her apron in her hands, nervously, Kasumi addressed the young man, "Ranma... I need to ask you, about Nabiki..."  
  
"She's sleeping right now," Ranma replied, "And no, we didn't do anything." The last part was added with a faint smile.  
  
"Oh no, I trust you not to take advantage of her while she is... like this," Kasumi hastefully replied, "I just wanted to know if you knew the reason she was lying this morning?"  
  
Ranma's eyes widened a fraction, before he tilted his head, "About?"  
  
"Her being attacked, I think, I'm not certain what it was about," Kasumi admitted, blushing slightly, "She wasn't... behaving amorally, was she?"  
  
The pigtailed boy seemed to study Kasumi with more than passing intrest, before answering, "Honestly, she's telling the truth. She was attacked, but I brought her home safely."  
  
"Okay, if that's all you can tell me..."  
  
Ranma gave Kasumi a warm smile, before reaching out, and putting a hand on the older girl's shoulder, "Kasumi, whatever it was she was doing, I think she learned her lesson. It's just a good thing nothing happened to her, right?" At Kasumi's nod, Ranma's smile deepened, before he walked by her.  
  
Kasumi went back to fidgiting with her apron. She was well aware of Nabiki's mannerisms when she fibbed. She tended to look people straight in the eyes, while keeping her own unfocused slightly, as if not directly looking at them, but past them. Since she had taken over as a surrogate mother to her sisters, Kasumi had gained fast experienced with Nabiki's white lies to the point she can spot them without even being the one they were being told to.  
  
"I wonder what she's hiding..." Kasumi asked to herself. 


	12. Part 11

Ranma/ Hannibal  
  
'Mindgames'  
  
The trail of blood that followed the blade sparkled like dark rubies in the dusk sun, following the arc of the sword's swing; the sight was her reward, her bounty for proof of her superiority.  
  
Best of her generation, potentially one of the greatist warriors her tribe had produced within the new century. A sinister, gleeful sliver of a smirk danced across her features in celebration of the battle she was occupied in, a battle of survival of the fittest, a battle where only the strongest deserved to live.  
  
The lavender haired teenage warrioress spun away with her sword swipe, standing calmly and deathly still, looking away, as her once sister, one who had once shared the same dreams Shampoo had, fell to never rise again.  
  
Shampoo stood impassively, the trail of blood and bodies of her peers and more behind her, marking her path with a river of carnage that flowed too freely, too abundantly. Hesitantly, several of her tribal sisters charged at her after recovering from their shock; Shampoo had worked fast to cause the onslaught she had so far.  
  
A gleeful giggle escaped her lips, as she deftly parried a monkspade spear with her bonbori, twisted to the side to stab another one of her sisters in the kidney with her straightsword, bringing her blade around to stab the wielder of the spear in the chest, only to have her jump back.  
  
In the nick of time, Shampoo dodged away, just as an arrow passed by where her form had been. The lavender haired Amazon launched her sword at the monkspade owner, sinking it into her chest like a dart into the soft cork of a dartboard. Without pause, Shampoo then spun around, retrieved a throwing dagger from where she had hidden it between her breasts, and in the split second she took to surmise where the arrow had come from, and where the head of the bow user would be, Shampoo launched it with uncanny precision, sinking it into the young woman's eye. She tumbled lifelessly off of the roof, but already long forgotten by the Amazon warrior that had slain her.  
  
Shampoo then continued her spin, slamming her bonbori mace in an upwards wing into the blade of Chinese broadsword seeking to behead her. The blade snapped under the force, throwing it's weilder off-balance. Shampoo then gave the girl a deft sidekick to the stomach, sending her flying to the ground, and while on her second spin, the lavender haired killer tossed her bonbori to follow.  
  
Shampoo ignored the devistating sound of heavy iron landing against all to giving and brittle bone, as she walked over to her still shallowly breathing sister that currently held her straightsword, and unceremoniously removed it from her person. It was all so easy, Shampoo thought, her husband was right.  
  
The man she had pledged her love to, the very man who had shared bodies with her and came to understand her on levels she never knew anyone else possibly could, had opened her eyes far beyond the imprisonment her own society had placed her in. She was the best of her generation, and judging from the litter of refuge behind her, there were none of her peer, and possibly older, that could possibly contest her when she no longer humored the restraints against her being.  
  
Why did she hold back? She should have proved her own worth against the worth of others, assisting to cull the weak from the strong. Her tribe did not need these weaklings that would only lead it to decay against the outside world. She pulled her crimson tainted blade to her face, and ran her free thumb along the flat of the blade, causing blood to pool over it until she reached the top. With a disgusting snort, she flicked it from her thumb, splattering it onto the ground.  
  
Better to spill their weak, rotten blood before it could do any more damage to the tribe.  
  
Shampoo looked up finding one of the elders calmly and grimly striding up to her. Her Great Grandmother, Elder Cologne. With a smug, heavily satisfied smirk, Shampoo addressed the woman she was to be the heir to. "Hello, Elder." Shampoo bowed deeply and respectfully.  
  
With a solumn tone, Cologne replied, "What have you done, child?"  
  
Shampoo's eyes lit up at the question, "Oh? my handiwork?" She turned back, waving her hand to the devistation behind her, and the small army of Amazons gathering around her with hard, vengeful eyes, "I was attempting to prove a point, and save us from extinction in the process."  
  
"Child, Shampoo, you aren't well," Cologne spoke, "This madness, we are here to stop it."  
  
Shampoo frowned, "Ranma said you'd think I'm crazy." Shampoo studied her blade, as the blood was now beginning to dry enough to cake. "That's pretty upsetting to hear. He's always been true to me, but that was one thing i didn't want to believe of any of you." Shampoo glared at her Grandmother, swiping her blade to the side of her, "I've already proven myself the best the tribe has to offer! You trained me far too well to just allow our people to grow into contentful sows, as they are protected by those of us willing to survive! What happened to the proud people we once were? What happened to strong blooded warriors that did not easily fold to a... mere warrior such as myself?"  
  
Cologne closed her eyes and bowed her head, "So, you have admitted to doing this of your own free will?"  
  
"Grandmother," Shampoo replied empathetically, "This isn't a task that any of us would be proud to do, but it must be done. We will bring our people back to the glory they once were so long ago, but we first must remove the thin, sickly blood that soils our might. The weak shall be removed from the strong." Shampoo's sinister smile returned, "Starting with my own peers that lacked the proper judgement to understand who their superiors are, and know enough not to speak negatively of them."  
  
"There wasn't a choice, I see that now." Cologne replied, simply.  
  
Shampoo understood what her Great-Grandmother was saying, "You still intend to stop me..."  
  
Cologne's blurring form was the answer. Shampoo prepared for an attack, only to look down at the butt of her elder's staff poking out from between her chest.  
  
Cologne removed her staff, allowing Shampoo's blood to sprinkle her face...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Cologne sat up quickly, attempting to rub her face of the blood she imagined there, the blood of her Great-Granddaughter. She stopped, realizing it was her dream once again. She had killed many times in the past, but never was a death she had issued so personal. Shampoo marked the last of her lineage, a once-proud family within the Chinese Neichiizu that had been discraced far beyond repair. Cologne was forced to give up her position as elder, as her family, which existed of Shampoo's father and herself, were forced to leave and never return.  
  
She looked around to see if she had disturbed her travelling companions. Both of them had slept soundly, unpeturbed by her sudden waking. Cologne took a moment to study the both of them; Mousse, so fully encased in the soul of ice, that even if he were inclined to love again, it would be an impossiblity for him. His emotions were effectively dead, unusable and beyond recovery.  
  
As much as Cologne was ashamed and loathe to admit it, that made Mousse an exellent weapong against Ranma. No emotions to twist around that would allow the sadistic pigtailed martial artist a sound foothold against him.  
  
Ryoga was just as perfect to confront Ranma in the other extreme. Ryoga's infinate rage kept his mind on a unified focus, only one thing mattered to him, and that was Ranma's death. To Ranma, Ryoga would be nothing less than a mortar shell aimed straight for him, with nowhere to run. Prior to their meeting, the lost boy had extreme feelings against his nemesis, but not enough for Cologne, as she knew exactly what Ranma was. Ryoga hated Ranma, and felt a burning sense of justice and vengence to end Ranma's atrocities, but Cologne temporarily suspended her morals to finally push him to the brink. Ryoga's sole purpose, as if he were trained all his life for the task, was to end Ranma's life.  
  
Cologne had similarly cultivated Mousse, and ancestors forgive her, she had succeeded. A prayer to her past relations, a prayer of forgivness for what she had done to both boys, and a prayer asking for Shampoo to be at peace, and to understand that it was not of her mind that brought this about, it was the one she had the misfortune to defeat upon the challenge log.  
  
Knowing neither of her companions would arouse, Cologne allowed herself to weep in despair.  
  
_________________  
  
Across the vast sea of lights and the low din of noise, those tears were being shared, but not of the same reasons.  
  
Outside of Nabiki's door, stood Akane and Kasumi, watching dumbfounded and impotent, as their middle sister was being consoled by their houseguest. Ranma gently pet Nabiki's sweat-soaked hair, as she lay her head in his lap, whimpering just above audibly. Neither girl could hear what Ranma was whispering to her as he comforted the distraught girl, but could see the effect it was having on her.  
  
Akane felt both ashamed and relieved; Ranma had been the only one able to even approach the wildly flailing Nabiki. Akane knew if she had attepted to restrain her sister, it could do a great deal more damage than she could afford. But once Ranma arrived, and moved to calm Nabiki down, she latched onto him as if he were salvation personified; her tears flowing freely from the ordeal.  
  
Kasumi watched with rapt intrest, being summoned just as her sister was by Nabiki's frightened wail. She knew her sister still occasionally had nightmares, but never were they so violent as the one she had apparently been in. Nabiki, the normally unflappable and most flippant of the three sisters, so cowed in her sleep. It broke Kasumi's heart to witness such, but allowed Ranma to tend to the situation.  
  
Ranma sighed, as he gently tucked Nabiki back into bed to sleep, before he walked out the door, and between the two sisters. "What's wrong with her?" Akane asked, heavily concerned for her sister's welfare.  
  
"A nightmare, nothing more," Ranma replied over his shoulder, "Your sister's sense of security had been taken from her, she no longer feels safe on her own."  
  
"Nabiki..." Akane whispered, feeling for her sister. She looked towards the girl on the bed in the room before them, shuddering in breath as she hunched into a fetal position, but seemed to have calmed down tremendously.  
  
'Let's go back to bed now, there's nothing more that can be done here," Ranma commanded, feeling heavily lethergic, and barely observative, he returned to the guestroom, leaving Akane and Kasumi to glance between themselves, and turn concerned glances back to their sister. 


	13. Part 12

Ranma  
  
Hannibal  
  
'Mind Games'  
  
"Nabiki's asleep again. I told her that she didn't have to worry about going to school since I'm calling her in sick," Kasumi explained to Ranma, who was the last remaining at the breakfast table. Akane had already gone off to school, while Genma and Soun went to start a new game of go, suggested by Genma to take the other man's concern off of the ordeal with his middle daughter. Ranma wasn't all that concerned about getting to school on time, and felt that it was necessary to prove his concern for the middle Tendou sister.  
  
"That's good, I think it's best she stayed home with you," Ranma smiled at Kasumi, "I think with your support, she'll start opening up just fine."  
  
"But she seems better when you are around, Ranma. I... I think it would be best if you also stayed home."  
  
"I'm afraid I can't be around her *all* the time," Ranma replied with a wry smirk. "If she's gonna get over this, she's gotta learn to stand on her own feet."  
  
"I don't know, I've never seen her like this before," Kasumi replied in a helpless tone, while nervously wringing her hair out.  
  
Ranma nodded slightly, "Yeah, I guess it's hard to see her like this. Heck, I don't even really know her that well, and it's eating me up. If I had only known she was following me sooner..."  
  
"Don't blame yourself for that, Ranma. Nabiki's always been strong-headed."  
  
"I could only imagine." Ranma turned to look at Kasumi curiously, "Tell me, was she a very dependant girl when she was younger? I mean-"  
  
"I think I understand what you mean," Kasumi interjected, as Ranma paused for a few moments, "She... she adored mother. Her death hit her hard. It was hard for all of us, but she handled it much more dramatically than either me or Akane or even father. She used to be so outgoing and playful."  
  
"Oh, I wouldn't say that's too far from what she still had been," Ranma replied, nodding as if he already suspected, or even knew what Kasumi's reply would be. "Well, if I stayed any later, I'd may as well be heading back from school for the end of the day. Take care, Kasumi, and make sure Nabiki's okay." With that, Ranma got up and left.  
  
Kasumi walked a bit with him to the front door, before heading upstairs to check on Nabiki once more. As quietly as she could, she entered her sister's room, to find Nabiki had tossed around on her bed a bit, in the midst of a fitful sleep. Feeling her heart break, Kasumi urgently made her way over to Nabiki's side, gently resting her hand on her sister's side, and her other hand went to stroke Nabiki's hair.  
  
That quelled Nabiki's fits, as she began to settle down, murmering unintellegently in her sleep. Kasumi blinked away the tears that were threatening to come forth, before her eyes caught sight of a thin red mark, a scratch that started from Nabiki's clavical near her neck and lead down into her pajamas. Carefully, Kasumi unbuttoned the first button, and found the faint scar ending near the top of her breast. The scar was recent, and stood out against her sister's pale flesh.  
  
Almost mesmerized by it, Kasumi began to draw her finger along the damaged skin. At the gentle touch, Nabiki's fits started again, wilder and more violent than before.  
  
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry Nabiki!" Kasumi repeated in a quiet, crying, desperate tone, as she began to wrestle her sister down. She wrapped an arm around Nabiki's waist, and her other arm around Nabiki's torso protectively when she could not fight her sister's panicked thrashing down. Subconciously realizing she was secure, Nabiki quickly turned and latched onto her older sister, burying her face into the top of Kasumi's chest.  
  
Nabiki was sobbing, not quite awake and not fully asleep; trapped in the two nightmares of true existance and the surreal. The eldest Tendou daughter tried as hard as she could to comfort Nabiki, but found her own strength lacking.  
  
"Who could have done this to you, Nabiki?" Kasumi whispered, as she rubbed the back of Nabiki's head and shoulders, spilling her own tears of anguish.  
  
__________________________  
  
Soun stared intensely at the board, almost as if he were listening to time pass by. He attempted to force his concentration on the game at hand, trying with a herculean effort to ignore the outside word, to temporarily forget his plights, his worries, his fears, and his worthlessness.  
  
Finally, his hand moved to shift one of the black pieces to a different position. "It's my turn, Tendou" Genma interjected, before Soun actually moved the gamestone.  
  
Soun had failed utterly in keeping his focus. No matter how strong his will, the muted cries he could hear coming from upstairs demanded his attention with harsh insistance. He couldn't protect his daughter. He couldn't be with her at every moment, so he had at least trained her to a great proficiency in self-defense. Unfortunately, even his rigerous training proved futile, as Nabiki had the misfortune to meet someone better than her in the still of night.  
  
What if it had been the surgical murderer the new had dubbed the latest serial killer to introduce themselves to Japan? He would have lost a daughter, he... he just couldn't...  
  
Genma saw his friend once again about to break down, this time not in shameless tears, but tears of complete shame. The eldest Saotome shifted uncomfortably in his seat, searching for whatever words of comfort he could offer. "Now, now, Tendou. The boy was there to make sure she stayed safe."  
  
Soun's head snapped up in fury, "Yes, your son rescued her. The very same one that put my little girl into danger in the first place! YOUR son, behaving wrecklessly and endangering MY family! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO PRAISE *YOUR* SON, WHEN IT WAS HE WHO BROUGHT THIS HORROR UPON MY DAUGHTER!!!"  
  
"Sit down, Tendou," Genma warned, "The boy messed up, but he didn't ask for your daughter to follow him."  
  
Soun remained glaring, but brought himself back to sitting, "He has not been forgiven for this outrage, so I suggest you do not make mention of him."  
  
Genma's eyes narrowed, "Be thankful the boy did save her, Tendou. His only crime was leaving past curfew. But, that doesn't put him to blame for your own daughter's carelessness."  
  
The stout martial artist looked out to the back yard, past the stone wall and out into the slightly murky, cloudy sky, "I'm also concerned for the girl, even if she isn't my daughter. Quite frankly, she could be the one that ends up my daughter in law. Don't think that I do not hear her crying upstairs either, Tendou."  
  
"I... I guess you're... I apologise, Saotome." Soun looked down at the game board, and sighed, "Forgive me, I do not think I can continue this game."  
  
"I doubt we could, you scattered all the pieces," Genma responded, dryly.  
  
The Tendou Patriarch wanted to laugh at his friend's attempt as levity, but he could not find the energy to do so. "Saotome... what is to become of my daughter."  
  
"Only the gods can decide that, Tendou, only the gods."  
  
__________________________  
  
Akane failed to hold her attention to class, just as emotionally upheavaled as the rest of her family. What was Nabiki thinking? She wasn't a martial artist like herself or Ranma. What was Ranma doing out that late at night? Thank the gods that he found her before anything happened to her. If Ranma hadn't, Akane wasn't sure she could ever forgive Ranma, or herself. Ranma for leading Nabiki, even unwittingly, into such a dangerous situation. Herself, because she was the one that was supposed to safeguard her family from such dangers. She was the one that had trained since she was allowed to by her father and mother, she was the one that her father had charged with using her skills in the defense of those around her. Even with Nabiki safe at home, Akane felt like she failed somehow.  
  
The final bell rang, telling her just how little she had actually concentrated on school; she hadn't even been aware that it was so close to time. Mechanically, she gathered her supplies, unnoticing of Ranma's approach.  
  
The pigtailed boy's face was schooled in concern, as he reached to gently touch Akane on the shoulder, "Akane, are you alr-"  
  
Akane suddenly whirled, trapping Ranma's hand at an awkward angle, and twisting it to force him down to his knees. Akane looked at the other boy wildly, before she realized who it was, and what she was doing.  
  
Almost as if Ranma's hand was on fire, she let go, "I-I'm sorry!"  
  
Ranma hid his victorious smile, just before giving Akane a pained, though wry look, "A bit jumpy, aren't you?" He then turned to give their classmates and teacher a look to signify that everything was alright. They accepted, and went about their business.  
  
The pigtailed martial artist brought himself to standing, checking his wrist, "You looked like you hadn't been paying attention all day."  
  
Akane kept her head down in embarrassment and remorse, "Of course! My sister was att-"  
  
Ranma quickly cut her off, "Akane, let's finish this where there are less ears about, aright?" Akane nodded, and began to follow Ranma out of the classroom.  
  
It wasn't long before they were walking towards Akane's home. Ranma walked alongside the other girl, giving her concerned glances every so often.  
  
"Thank you, Ranma."  
  
"Um, what for?" the pigtailed boy enquired, seeming confused.  
  
"I know I can't blame you for what happened with Nabiki, but thank you for stopping things before she... she got hurt."  
  
Ranma's expression turned somber, "But she did get hurt, Akane."  
  
"Wha? How?"  
  
"There's one thing I have to say impressed me about your sister. She was spirited, and that made her just as beautiful as you and Kasumi in her own way. Unfortunately, this whole ordeal broke that spirit. She was wounded in a way that doesn't damage skin, but is very visible."  
  
"I guess you're right," Akane whispered, feeling a tear escape her.  
  
Ranma watched the lone dew of emotion trail down her cheek, "Remember, Akane, time heals all wounds. Your sister may be forever changed, but she could not stay the same forever."  
  
Akane nodded, shaking the tear from her face. Ranma smiled, satisfied that she was in agreement, and was about to turn away. He suddenly noticed his breath fog before him, as his arms began to sense the pricks of chill cross them. His eyes continued to follow Akane's shed tear; their keen and sharpened vision watching it as it turned from clear, to vaguely opaque. As soon as it hit the sidewalk, it shattered like cloudy crystal.  
  
The sudden temperature drop hadn't escaped Akane either, "D-did it just suddenly become freezing?"  
  
Ranma's hand flashed out to right by the base of his own neck. Slowly, he brought the pinched index and forefinger to view, to spy a needle that had been intercepted between them. "Why yes, yes it has."  
  
Akane blinked, and turned to follow his gaze, as he slowly met the cerillan blue eyes of another young man standing on the wall next to them, just behind them.  
  
Ranma nodded in greeting to the newcomer, dressed in ice gray robes, staring back at the pigtailed martial artist with a complete void of emotion past total apathy. "Hello, Mu Tsu," Ranma said, as he rose his head, "I take it your trip from China hadn't been completely troublesome?" 


	14. Part 13

Ranma/Hannibal  
  
'Mindgames'  
  
Mousse ran, he ran hard and fast. What he had heard wasn't true, it just couldn't be. It had been almost a fortnight since the supposed events had taken place, and he had finally arrived at the Neichiizu village from his isolated training trip. His sisters had tracked him down, insisting that he needed to hear the news, of what had become of his once love, Xian Pu.  
  
He was spotted rushing down the path that would lead him straight into the center of their humble village, and no one made a move to stop him. Speeding past his tribe members, he ignored the expressions of pity and remorse, because to him, they only told lies.  
  
His beloved Shampoo couldn't have been a killer, it was all a lie.  
  
Mousse swore he would take his beloved away from their slanderous tongues. He would convince her that she needed not stay and suffer their jealousies, their petty attempts at destruction of her character.If he had thought about it, he would have understood how ludicrous it was to presume their word as such. Shampoo had killed over half of her own peers, for that to be a lie, and for anyone to believe it would be sheer idiocy.  
  
Mousse shoved both men and women, peers and elders from his path, making a beeline for his destination. His cries for the one woman he had loved for his entire life echoed throughout the village, shaken the very air as if disturbing the ghosts that lingered for over two weeks. As if his very pleas that were laden in his tone for her innocence insulted and outraged them, thus making it seem that the presence of the village grew thick and unwelcoming.  
  
Even after so long, the acrid tang of blood lingered in the air, stifling his breath. He was assured it was simply his imagination, because the events never occured.  
  
He arrived, never even bothering to stop to properly open the door to the domicile that was shared by one of the cherished elders of their village, and her Great Granddaughter. Mousse was prepared to demand in outrage that Cologne put the atrocious lies to rest, that she punish those who would speak in such a cowardly fashion to one that was a pinnicle of beauty, ferocity, and cunning.  
  
What met his eyes was a tired, elderly woman, sitting in the single chair that occupied the front room, abandoned of all other furniture. Her only posessions left were to be that very chair, and the cup of tea that rested in her hands. After she said what she had to to the young man, they would be given up, and she and Mousse would have to depart, for they no longer had a place, or were welcome in the village of Neichiizu ever again.  
  
"We have much... to discuss," Khun Lon, former cherished elder of the Amazons, stated in a tired, solumn, defeated, and hopeless voice.  
  
____________________  
  
Mu Tzu made no motion towards the pigtailed young man below him, "Saotome."  
  
"So, what brings ya to my neck of the woods?" Ranma enquired in a jovial tone, eliciting a puzzled expression from Akane.  
  
"I have simply come to collect an associate who had wandered off, I did not expect to find your presence just yet."  
  
Akane grew concerned at the cold, nearly mechanical voice of the newcomer. His very contenance matched it, as he stood regarding Ranma with an almost uninterested air about him. "What's wrong with him?"  
  
"I would suppose he's upset about something," Ranma stated, amused.  
  
Mu Tzu's expression didn't crack, though Akane was forced to wrap her arms around herself tighter, as it grew even colder. Ranma wouldn't grant the other young man the satisfaction of any reaction, "It has been a while, old pal."  
  
Mu Tzu simply tilted his head curiously, "Tell me, Saotome, were we truly friends? Or was I simply another distraction for your amusement? Do you intend to use this girl as you did Shampoo?" The Chinese native gestured to Akane, who shifted defensively when the attention was put onto her.  
  
"That's kinda harsh, don't you think?" Ranma replied, allowing a little anger into his voice, "I don't play games like that!"  
  
"Then what other reason did you initiate Shampoo's demise?" Mu Tzu asked, as if he were enquiring about the weather about them.  
  
Ranma's eyes wided, "Shampoo's dead?"  
  
"Yes, she is," Mu Tzu replied, with nary any emotional coloring to his declaration. The Chinese youth turned away, positive that Ranma would not make any motions on him, "I will allow you to continue feigning ignorance, since it is not the time for our confrontation." With that, Mu Tzu lept from the wall.  
  
Akane quickly scrambled onto the barrier, finding the other young man simply walking away, "You're just going to let him go?"  
  
Ranma sighed, "Mousse isn't the most level table around. It's best not to provoke him unless you have the advantage."  
  
"What did he mean, that you had something to do with this Shampoo girl's death?" Akane asked, recalling the conversation. She frowned deeper, and took a step away from Ranma, "Did you kill her?"  
  
Ranma would have laughed, if not for the gravity of how she asked the question. Her seriousness deserved some merit. "Akane," Ranma began, giving Akane a saddened, hurt look, "I swear to you, as a martial artist, and to all I hold dear, I have never killed anyone in my life."  
  
____________________  
  
"Nabiki, do you feel like eating anything?" Kasumi asked, knocking at the door of her sister's room. For the longest time, there was no responce, spurring concern within Kasumi. The eldest daughter of the Tendou Clan pulled the house skeleton key out of her pocket, ready to break her sister's privacy out of prudence and worry. The rustling from the other side of the door alerted Kasumi that it wasn't necessary. "Nabiki?"  
  
On the other side of the door, Nabiki stared out her window. She watched the front yard, awaiting signs of Ranma's return. Heh, waiting for Ranma, it was him who did this to her, she knew intellectually. Even so, she greatly feared the consequences of going against his word, of attempting to defy him any. Because, she knew the consequences would be to withdraw that thick blanket of protection he awarded her. Ranma had nearly destroyed her, and by his 'good graces' that was the only reason Nabiki still remained sane, or even alive.  
  
And now, after a prolongued separation from him, she could hear the low, deep growls, the sounds of sharpened nails scraping against concrete. She could see the flashes of yellow, predatory eyes just escaping her vision, as if their owners were trying to sneak up on her, stalking her like helpless, delicious prey. Her nose still sensed hints of spore from a dangerous animal, her animalistic fear heightening her senses, ironically serving to aggrivate her further. Her right hand traced the faint, almost invisible scar on her right forearm, and she could feel their desperate grasps onto her delicate skin, barely fended off by the one who held her in the nightmare she had exprience, and haunted her since.  
  
Ranma had assured her, yes he had, that they would always be lurking, just waiting for a chance when she was not alert, when her false sense of safety would prove deadly. He protected her from the claws that begged to rend themselves through skin and muscle, the angry teeth that yearned to tear at her flesh. It was only her sound grasp upon herself, that arrogance that she had developed to protect her from the ails of the world since her mother had passed away, that kept her from breaking down the instant Ranma would leave her. Leave her alone to fend for herself. To abandon her to fates without his protection, just like her mother had.  
  
Intellectually, she knew they weren't there, just as someone intellectually knew ghosts would not harm them, or the night would not swallow them. But instinct was a far more powerful aspect of the psyche, and her urges of terror were far more potent, once true experience had been interwoven for a powerful trauma. Without Ranma, Nabiki was sure she would go insane. Because of Ranma, she still would, yet.  
  
The appearance of the pigtailed young man with her sister within the gates of her home. Akane trailing behind the bastard brought out feelings of panic and desperation within Nabiki, but they proved weak compared to her own selfish need for self preservation. She wanted to warn both Akane and Kasumi, she wanted to demand her father throw him out, she wanted the police to take him away, and lock him in the deepest hole within the worst of hells. But she did not, and could not, because if she wanted to keep her sense of self, if she wanted any sembalence of safety, she would belong to Ranma.  
  
"We're home!" Ranma called out, when he and Akane entered.  
  
"Welcome home, Akane, Ranma," Kasumi greeted, though missing a fraction of her usual cheer. Her expression when they met it further shown how distressed the eldest Tendou daughter was.  
  
"Is... is Nabiki okay?" Akane asked, feeling the anxiety well up further, stacking upon the stress she was already experiencing.  
  
Kasumi shook her head, "I don't know. She had woken up at some time and locked me out of her room. I know she hasn't done anything drastic." Kasumi began to wring her ponytail out with her hands, a sign of her compounding nervousness. "She also has a scar... I don't think I've ever seen it on her before. I'm worried about it."  
  
Ranma frowned slightly, and tilted his head, "Did she tell you where she had gotten it from?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Kasumi enquired, "I... she was so upset when I saw her this morning, I didn't ask."  
  
"Hmmm," Ranma mused, before nodding, "I guess it's best if I go see her, then. By the way, I ran into a friend of mine from China, so don't be surprised if he shows up. Com'on, Akane."  
  
The youngest Tendou daughter obeyed, more out of concern for her sister Nabiki than any obedience to the boy she vowed to be a proper friend to. She came up beside Ranma on the staircase, before whispering to him, "A 'friend'? The jerk attacked you from behind!"  
  
Ranma shrugged, "I'm sure he has his reasons."  
  
"He did, he blamed you for the death of that Shampoo person!"  
  
Ranma sighed, as he came to a stop before Nabiki's door, and poised his hand to knock, "That is simply a subject we will have to clarify, the next time we meet."  
  
"What's going to happen?" Akane asked, becoming frightened for Ranma, as he was taking such a threat with a cavalier attitude.  
  
"Nabiki? It's Ranma, do you want to talk?" The pigtailed young man questioned, not answering Akane's question. 


	15. Part 14

'Mind Games'  
  
Ranma slid across the polished wood floor, a few moments before his weapon followed. With a chagrinned expression, he brought himself to kneeling, "Once again, the match is yours."  
  
The kendoist several feet before him continued to hold his stance, before relaxing, and bowing, "But it was a splendid match, my comrade. Your skills in kendo are notable."  
  
Ranma picked up the bokken, and came fully to standing. He studied it for a few moments, before replying, "Well, my father insisted that I learn the form, as well as other armed combat. You should see me with a long bow or staff."  
  
"Ah, a rennaisance man," Kuno replied with due respect, "That your training falls in such an encompasing spectrum speaks well of your capable abilities. If one were to narrow your focus to even one art, such as the art of the blade, you would be a magnificent swordsman. Perhaps not of my par, but excelling all others."  
  
Ranma fought the distain he felt from the pompous, backhanded compliment, and bowed his head graciously, "Thanks, I think. I only wish I was as talented as you praise me to be."  
  
"You have doubt in the compliment from one of the noble house of Kuno? Such thought borders on sacrelage," Tatewake jested, "Come, let us take respite, while we continue our conversing."  
  
Kuno waited for Ranma to step beside him, before the both of them headed for the school's gym lockerrooms. "Yes, I had trained a lot, but I'm afraid that it may not be enough for the trials I will face."  
  
"Saotome, though you be of humble birth, your soul is as noble as the most wizened of samurai. Fear not that you are incapable of besting these trials, but face them with every intention of conquering them. Face them with all the tenacity, resiliance, and ferocity that your spirit can provide."  
  
"Heh," Ranma chuckled, "Inspirational, and I will heed your words."  
  
Kuno frowned, hearing still a sliver of doubt within his companion's face, "Know this, Saotome, if you indeed feel such a weighty burdon upon you, do not spare haste in enlisting my aid. For one Samurai can face armies of malice, two can conquer the legions of Hell."  
  
Ranma looked up at Tatewake, as if considering the older classmate's words. Eventually, he gave Kuno a light smile, "It's good to know I have someone to watch my back then. But it may not be necessary."  
  
"Very well," Kuno decided to change subjects, "And how goes your decision between the serene and beuteous Kasumi Tendou, and the sensual yet clever sister Nabiki?"  
  
Ranma withheld his chuckle at the ommision of Akane, knowing full well what the kendoists thoughts were on that matter, "I think Nabiki likes me, we talk often, and she's a very... cuddly person."  
  
"Oh ho, Saotome, such pacing rivals even the vaunted Don Juan. May Cassanova seek your tutelage in the ways of women!"  
  
"Don't get your hopes up. She seems a bit apprehensive towards anything like a solid relationship. So I don't know positively if her interest is genuine or fleeting." Ranma retorted, annoyed with himself for faltering in his speech pattern, but the archaic prose of Kuno seemed deadfast at wrenching his own more complex dictation from his mouth. "As for Kasumi, I'm not sure where her interest is. She's nice, very friendly, but I think she's like that towards everyone. Maybe I should talk with her soon? I'm pretty sure she knows the engagement still concerns her."  
  
Kuno laughed heartily, "Yes, I would imagine that would be advantagous."  
  
"And about Akane..."  
  
Kuno paused, glaring seriously at Ranma.  
  
"Relax, I would never wish to take her from you," Ranma consoled the other boy, "But she is a friend, and I do wish the best for her."  
  
"And I would provide her with nothing more than the very best! I would-"  
  
"I have no doubt, really," Ranma quickly cut him off, not entirely in the mood for one of his triads, "But, it's her emotional welfare that I need to warn you about."  
  
"Oh, how does it wound me that she feels the sharp pang of loneliness beyond my person. Let us hasten ourselves, so that I may rectify her suffering!"  
  
Ranma caught Kuno by the collar of his outfit, "That's not it, and do not worry, she will be waiting patiently for you." Ranma gestured a slightly irritated Kuno through the locker room doors, and motioned him to sit on one of the benches, "Now, don't take this the wrong way, alright? It something Akane has to work through, and it won't help if you approach her now."  
  
"How could my undying love be at fault, Saotome?" Kuno enquired in an arched tone.  
  
"Well, she appreciates your feelings, and would like to return them, but she has her own issues to work through."  
  
"I fail to see how I cannot correct these 'issues' this very instant. Perhaps I had been in err judgment in guaging your wisdom?"  
  
"Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to say that you are at any way at fault, or that even Akane is intentionally spurning you. She is a bit hesitant about any sort of relationship from... previous issues." Ranma sat down on one of the benches, before continuing.  
  
"Then please, continue, for I am currenty await your trifle advice with open ears."  
  
"She seems to have a fear of her own appeal. She knows how you assuradly feel for her, but that scares her."  
  
"I... fail to comprehend your point," Kuno responded in a guarded tone.  
  
"She may be a... nice... young woman, but in many fronts, she still sees a great deal with a sort of, dare I say, childish naivity?"  
  
"Go on."  
  
Ranma smirked, knowing his words would be taken in fully now, "I don't think she had ever been in a relationship like you're interested in. She doesn't know how to handle your feelings towards her."  
  
"Ah, but of course!" Kuno proclaimed! "Akane Tendou is of pure maidenhood, her pristine innocence only mirrors her immaculate chastity, how could I have not see it?"  
  
Ranma avoided responding, knowing it would lead to several minutes of rebuking his works by the kendoist, "Anyhow, because of that, you may simply attempt a more... subtle approach in your courtship of her?"  
  
"Of course, with a gentle hand, may I guide her across the bridge to womanhood. Fear she not facing the affairs of maturity, as Tatewake Kuno shall do whatever is within his power to assist her in her journey."  
  
"Yes, quite," Ranma replied, deciding he had more than his fill of the pompous swordsman. Any longer, and he may be forced to actively ensure he would not have to suffer the idiot further. "Well, as much as I enjoyed the spar and fencing lesson, I'm afraid that I must be on my way. If I can humbly request you take my words into account?"  
  
"I... shall," Kuno answered, hesitantly, "They hold more than a grain of truth, and you do show wisdom beyond your countenance." Ranma's expression flashed a flicker of distain, before he was forced to cover it with a faux smile of appreciation. He nodded in a slight bow of farewell, before turning away.  
  
"You insufferable... I shall relish putting you in your place."

* * *

Kasumi barely paid any attention to the plate she was meticulously buffering with the sodden wet cloth, polishing it to a pristine shine. She stared out the window before the sink, not truly seeing anything beyond it. Her mind was locked in its own deep contemplation, spurred by her increasing concern for her sister. Nabiki had shrunk into a shell of herself since the attack, and no one, not even the friendly police, herself, father, or Ranma could pull her from it.  
  
Ranma, she didn't understand; to her, he seemed more interested in making her feel safe than drawing out that spark of life that seemed to be dimming, leaving her first sister in nothing but a simple existance.  
  
"Nabiki..." Kasumi whispered, before remembeing what she was doing. Realizing she had washed the dish enough, she moved to rinse it in the second sink.  
  
"She'll be fine, it just takes time."  
  
Startled, the eldest Tendou daughter accidentally dropped the plate into the water, causing a splash. Ranma briskly strode over to her, grabbing the drying towel. "I... I didn't hear you come in," Kasumi stated, still attempting to regain her composure.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't announce myself, but I kind of noticed you were off in you own little world," Ranma apologised, helping to dry off some of the water that splashed onto Kasumi's face and the rim of the sink. "Has anyone ever told you have an exellent complextion?"  
  
"Thank you," Kasumi replied to his gesture with gratitude and his compliment, while blushing. Avoiding her awkwardness, Kasumi commented on the subject still on her mind, "Oh, Ranma, how could this have happened to her?"  
  
With a sigh, Ranma took the plate from the sink, and began to dry it, "I don't know, but I... regret it happened. If there was any more that could be done to prevent it, I would have gladly tried."  
  
"Thank you again, I know you were doing what best you could." Kasumi replied. She once again began washing dishes from lunch, as Ranma sat by patiently. "I'm scared."  
  
"I understand," Ranma replied, and waited fo Kasumi to continue. As is such, he knew she was awaiting the opportunity to get things off her chest. Akane and Nabiki had been reletively easy to peg down, but Kasumi... she was a carefully wrapped enigma. It wasn't because of some shallow facade that was place over her emotions like Nabiki; easily ripped apart and reconstructed, Kasumi's was born from simply accepting her place. On the outside, she contended with things with a patience Ranma respected, on the inside, he had no idea. With his own patience, he had been waiting for her to pour out her heart, so that he could get his bearings on the girl.  
  
"This neighborhood just doesn't seem the same anymore."  
  
"I haven't been here long, so I'll just have to take your word for it," Ranma responded, taking the cleaned plate, dipping it into the rinsing bason, and drying it.  
  
"I mean, before you came here, we didn't have to worry about a serial killer... we never had to worry about children disappearing, and showing up a day later. Before you were here... before..." Kasumi paused, and looked towards Ranma with a curious expression.  
  
"Hmm?" Ranma replied, looking back up at her, guilelessly.  
  
Kasumi shook her head, as if dismissing her thoughts, "Ranma, I don't think it is my right to ask this of you, but would you look after my sisters from now on? I think your arrival is a blessing in these times."  
  
Ranma's expression was solumn, "Kasumi, all three of you are my supposed fiancees until between us, we decide who will take up family honor. Even after I do so, I vow that I'll protect all three of you from outside harm."  
  
Kasumi nodded, "Thank you, Ranma, I sincerely appreciate that."  
  
"Well," anma stated, putting down the towel, "I have a few things to take care of, and I'm going to go check up on Nabiki." With that, Ranma walked away, leaving Kasumi to her thoughts.  
  
As he exited the kitchen, he gave her a withering glance backwards, before continuing on his way. 


	16. Part 15

'Mind Games' 

"Nabiki..."

She couldn't see it, but felt it, she heard it, she tasted it; the feel of the weak gust that passed just scantly across her cheek, the sound of air being ripped by the slice of sharpened points, the coppery, wretched tang of blood that hung in the air like hopelessness...

"Nabiki, Nabiki..."

Her soft whimper escaped, not lost on the beasts she was entrapped with. It seemed to rile them even further, infuriate them even more, as they were constantly denied.

"It was dangerous of you, putting yourself at risk like this..."

The feel of fur graced her arm, causing her to scream. It was muffled by silk clothing powerful pectoral muscles...

"Did you think you were invincible?"

She tried to pull herself tighter against her tormenter and savior, knowing it was him that brought her to death's domain, and just barely held her away from the maws of oblivion.

"Did you think that you would find nothing more than a trivial amusement in all this?"

She wanted to plead, to demand, to beg for him to stop, to take her home where she was safe from the teeth, the claws, the yellow and hungry eyes, and the horrific roars of outrage that surrounded her, but she knew it would only humor him to do so...

"Na, I know why you followed me, would you like to hear the reason? I doubt that you even realize it."

She stepped in something in her vain attempt to hide behind the monster that defied the others with impunity. Her mind was too terrified to concern itself with whatever mess she had trod in.

"You think that you are in control of everything, don't you?"

One of the demons of claws and teeth leapt directly at her, and Nabiki could only silently watch when her vocal cords failed her.

"No, don't worry about answering that question, it was rhetorical."

She collapsed backwards, just as she thought she was about to be overtaken, only to see the monster knocked away with an almost precarious blow to its side. It rolled, not snowing signs of moving for quite a bit, but there were still many more of its brethren about.

"You thought you were some sort of predator, some force to be reckoned with around here."

She looked around frantically, finding nothing in the dead lack of light but angry monsters, steel bars, and the cruelest monster of them all.

"That's what allowed you to get away with everything you did around here. Oh, I know your activates, and I must say I am impressed with what you are capable of."

She wished that they were in a corner, instead of standing in the dead center.

"You thought that as long as you held control, as long as you were the cold, flippant bitch, that you were safe..."

The monsters seemed to be circling them, almost wary of them now. They didn't care about the red demon that stood between them and the sweet smelling prey; they wished to avoid it in fact. As it was, the sweet smelling one was far to tempting to ignore.

"Sorry to tell you this, Nabiki, but you have no power."

Nabiki felt herself jerked to the side, just barely missing one of the beasts launch itself at her with an intent swipe.

"Almost got you there, didn't they?"

Nabiki watched as the orange and black striped monster recovered, and seemed to glare angrily at her, promising its next pounce would be successful.

"It was only a matter of time..."

Nabiki's breath caught in her throat; the voice that had been taunting her in the darkness seemed suddenly so far away.

"...before something came around, and removed that illusion from you..."

She screamed out the name of the monster she knew, demanding him to return to protect her, to not leave her alone. As her screams, the monsters surrounding her began to growl deeper than before.

"When you find yourself left alone in a dark hole, surrounded by the desperate mews, greedy claws, and uncaring teeth that seek to tear at your helpless flesh..."

Almost at once, they all stopped circling her, and braced low...

"...and rend your mind into unmendable fragments..."

They leapt...

"Helpless now, aren't you?"

Almost as if in slow motion, Nabiki started falling back, as a paw raised high descended at her neck...

"You have no power..."

She started to scream, just as she felt the flesh of her collarbone begin to break.

* * *

Kasumi was immediately out of her room, and rushing into Nabiki's as she had previous nights. The sight had been no different, no less heart breaking than any other time her sister had awoken in shrills of terror.

Defiant of her impotency to calm Nabiki down, Kasumi, in almost rehearsed motion, grasped onto her sister, shushing her like a distraught mother attempting to calm her bawling child; whispering empty promises that everything will be alright, like a woman to her valiant lover who had been mortally wounded and lay dying in her arms.

Something different happened this night, or rather, something didn't happen. Ranma had not come to assist in consoling Nabiki. Did he not care for what happened to the poor girl? Did he suddenly simply grow tired of coddling her broken sister? Maybe he had been feigning sympathy the whole time.

Kasumi shut her eyes tightly, allowing the glittering dew to travel her soft cheek, and coalesce upon her chin. She vowed; that if she were to ever help her sister finally recover, she would have to find out what truly happened.

At the door, Ranma slowly pulled away, grinning as Nabiki's sobs began to subside; not from Kasumi's assistance, but from the emotional exhaustion the middle Tendou sister was suffering. He couldn't come help her every time, that would simply undo a great deal of what he had done to her. She needed to feel what it was like to be without a comfort blanket every once in a while, so that she would emotionally latch onto him that much tighter. The noose around her neck, and he held the other end like a leash.

* * *

Akane walked into the kitchen, finding her eldest sister almost slumped against the counter, "Nabiki?" Akane didn't need to ask, she had heard the screams and crying, even through her own choked sobs and the pillow she vainly covered her head with that night.

Kasumi only nodded, ignoring the sounds of combat and insults beyond the wall, the hallway, and the back entryway to the rear yard, "Akane, I don't know what to do for her."

"I... I think she needs counseling, Kasumi," Akane suggested.

Kasumi had considered it, but only as a last option. She knew Nabiki had ambitious plans, and to have it known that she required professional psychiatric help would hinder her too much, "I suppose, but we must hope she's strong enough to recover on her own."

Akane mutely nodded in response, before looking upstairs, "She isn't going to school again today?"

"No, she's not Akane. I don't think it would be wise," Kasumi stated. At that moment, a young red headed girl wearing wet clothing and a sorely irritated expression walked into the kitchen.

"I don't suppose I could use the kettle? I would take a bath, but I think your father's using it."

"Akane, could you please to check to see if father is in the bath?" Kasumi requested, Akane blinked, before shrugging, and deciding that Kasumi had her reasons for asking.

After her youngest sister left, Kasumi fully faced Ranma. "Ranma, what happened to Nabiki that night?"

Ranma didn't need to enquire as to 'what night' she was talking about, "Honestly, she had been attacked, and I managed to fend them off fortunately enough."

"What aren't you telling me, Ranma?" Kasumi asked, not with any accusation, but with heavy concern, "Please, I need to know."

Ranma blinked, before shirking back as if hurt, "Kasumi, you think I had something to do with how she's acting?"

Kasumi's worried expression drew just a faint, faint darker. The redhead's body language and expression relayed shock and defensiveness at the seeming implied accusation, while the tone of her rebuttal held a slight dejection and hurt. Yet the eyes... Ranma's eyes...

Now she knew to suspect the young Saotome.

"I... I'm sorry Ranma, but I'm just worried about her!" She then noticed Ranma seemed to study her, scrutinizing her much like doctor studying an open wound on a patient. Then, to her surprise, Ranma gave a light smile.

"It's alright; I'm just sorry I couldn't tell you much more."

"Ranma, Daddy's out of the bath, so you can use it now," Akane announced, walking back into the kitchen.

"Great timing, Akane," Ranma congratulated, before turning back to Kasumi, "excuse me."

Kasumi watched Ranma leave for the bathing room, allowing her expression to mirror her sentiments. Akane caught sight of her eldest sister's facade, and shirked back in surprise at seeing Kasumi upset in such away.

That bastard, he did something to her, he is responsible for what happened to Nabiki. Kasumi just knew it now; she had no understanding how she knew it, but she was sure his hand was the bloodiest of anyone associated with the incident. Just then, her peripheral vision caught movement outside the kitchen window. Turning fully to look outside, her sight found the vision of a young man in ice gray robes with long flowing raven hair, standing upon the grounds wall calmly like a hawk patiently waiting for its prey. The hawk noticed it had been spotted, but seemed as if it wasn't concerned. After a few moments, it leapt from the wall, disappearing from her view.


	17. Part 16

'Mindgames' 

That young man, in his ice gray robes and cold demeanor; it was as if he were the very calm of a frozen storm. No, as if he were the front that was oncoming and waiting to unleash a fury that had already peaked upon the horizon. When Kasumi had seen him, she could sense that his business was with... him. What the boy wanted with Ranma, she had no inkling or notion, but she knew one thing. Where he was the storm waiting on the horizon, Ranma was catalyst that generated its fury. When she saw him again, she had to find out what he knew about the decidedly dangerous pigtailed young man.

In the meantime, she had other means...

"Kasumi... Kasumi! Earth to Sis..."

:"Oh," Kasumi apologised, putting on the best smile she could muster for her youngest sibling, "I'm afraid my mind was elsewhere."

Akane chuckled, "I can see that, but you've been like this the whole time." The raven haired girl shifted the groceries she was carrying for more comfort, "Something wrong? You usually don't even carry this much in groceries home, you have them delivered."

"Well," Kasumi began, feeling somewhat unsure of herself, "I wanted to talk to you... about a few things."

"Well, I have been trying to talk to you, but you've had your head in the clouds."

"I'm sorry, Akane," the elder sister apologised, "I wanted to ask you about Ranma..."

Akane blinked, "Sis, I honestly didn't think you would actually be interested in him." Her surprised expression turned to a knowing smirk, "Tired of waiting for Doctor Tofu to come around?"

"Wha-what about Doctor Tofu?" Kasumi enquired, confused by the sudden change in topic.

Akane sighed, wistfully knowing that teasing her sister on the subject was futile, and over what her sister had that she would never gain, "Nothing, Kasumi. Now, what about Ranma?"

"You seem to be good friends with him," the elder sister began, "You must know him well enough."

Akane nodded, not quite sure where this was leading to, "I guess, he seems to really... well, he's patient, concerned, and he seems to understand me on things..." Akane's face scrunched up in thought, "It's not like I'm interested in being his fiancée, but I... I like being around him. He's a great guy."

"So he hasn't, well, I'm not sure how to ask this..."

Akane gave Kasumi her full attention, noticing the worried expression on her eldest sister's face, "Go on..."

Kasumi sighed, knowing that from the way Akane was acting, Ranma had never harmed her, "Nothing. It's nothing. I just feel... so uncomfortable around him, as if there's something about him..."

"I know what you mean," Akane admitted, "He does seem intense sometimes. And how he will pretend to be dumber than he really is around others, I still don't get that. I mean, all other boys are stupid, yet he wants to be like them?" Akane chuckled, "I guess boys will always be a mystery to me."

Kasumi was back in her own thoughts, considering how Ranma indeed feigned a greater naivety than he actually had. She could tell he was remarkably intelligent, almost eerily so... actually she was more than a little frightened about it. If he was indeed that smart, exactly what were his intentions?

"I do suppose he has his reasons," Kasumi finally stated after several moments of silence, as they walked home, "It's just that he..." her voice quieted a bit, "...he scares me a little."

"Kasumi? Why would you be afraid of-" Akane paused, as she looked ahead, "Hey, isn't that the Kensou's son?"

Kasumi turned to where Akane was pointing, and found a toddler, no older than two, staggering down the sidewalk. From the looks of his progress, he wasn't in the best of conditions.

"Oh my," Kasumi whispered, as she quickly set her groceries down, and ran towards the young boy that not more than a year ago she would baby sit while his parents indulged in what little personal freedom they could, "Yoshi-chan, are you-"

Her concerned address was interrupted, as soon as her hand met with the young boy's flesh. Just as his loud shrill erupted from his throat, the vile and potent stench of feline urine and defecation met her senses. She almost reeled from both the nearly deafening cry, and the wrenched smell, but her maternal instincts remained dominant in trying to calm the boy down.

Yoshi's panicked cries she could tell were coming from a throat that had already screamed itself raw, yet the sheer terror that she saw in the boy's eyes persuaded it that it could continue for even longer. Without more thought, Kasumi latched onto the boy, embracing him in a tight hug that screamed of her protective nature, whispering words of comfort that the little boy couldn't comprehend in his state. It was a situation eerily familiar to Kasumi; it was like she was embracing her hysterical sister.

"My God, what's wrong with him?" Akane asked, showing no little fear herself.

"Something must have frightened him badly," Kasumi stated, "go look over there where he came from, I'll try to find him help!"

"I'll go call the police, " one of the gathering crowd suggested, before running into her house nearby. Kasumi didn't give acknowledgement to hearing the woman, but continued to hold the poor child until help she knew was coming arrived.

Akane strolled around the corner, finding nothing unusual, right before a slight breeze caught across her face. She almost gagged at the putrid smell that lingered in the air, but hesitatingly moved to investigate it. After several yards, she was forced to cover her face with arm in a vain attempt to drown some of the obnoxious stench with her own perfumed scent.

That cellar, that's where it was coming from. Akane stepped through the broken fence that belonged to the run down house that had been due for renovation for some time, and approached the cellar door. Bracing herself, she shifted it open, and fell back as dozens of cats, and a fresh wave of cat stench slammed against her, and right by her.

"Ugh, gross!" Akane sat up, wondering what all those cats were doing down in the cellar, with the door shut no less. Holding her breath, she looked in, and gasped at the sight of dead or dying cats; half starved and feral, looking up at her with pleading eyes, or with dull, lifeless ones.

Unable to bear the sight any longer, Akane slammed the cellar door closed.

* * *

Kasumi sat inside the police officer's car, trembling at what had been discovered. The boy had only been missing since last night, unlike the other children who had apparently suffered his fate. Other than the smell and being terrorized, the boy had not been harmed in the least, yet the lack of any physical ailments didn't hide what had happened to him. The cellar Akane found, the boy had been in it, along with multitudes of starving, desperate cats. As feral as they had become, its a surprise that no harm had come to Yoshi at all. The cats were wild enough to even consider him as a potential food source, yet he had not a single scratch on him.

The officer on the scene came back, and sat himself down into the driver's side, "Don't worry, the boy will be fine with his parents now." They both knew that wasn't true, but he felt he had to say something.

"Who did this to him?" Kasumi demanded in a shaky tone.

The officer sighed, "I wish I knew, so we could prevent this from happening again. I mean, it's the fifth time this has happened, and we're no closer to catching the scumbag who did this. Between this and the Surgical killer, things have been pretty bad around these parts."

"Yes, things have been terrible as of late," Kasumi admitted, "I... I need to return home."

The officer nodded, "Thank you for your help, Ma'am. We'll contact you if we need anything else." Kasumi nodded, and got out of the car.

Akane had already left, getting some assistance from some friends to carry the groceries home, so Kasumi only had herself to worry about. Before she left the scene, she saw him again; the Chinese boy in the gray robes.

Once again, he noticed her attention on him, and began to turn away. He walked, in no hurry, yet obviously uninterested in conversation. Much to his misfortune, Kasumi was indeed interested, "Wait!"

At the call, the young man paused, but did not turn back as Kasumi caught up with him, "You live at the Tendou Dojo."

"And you've been spying on us," Kasumi countered," What is it you want with Ranma?"

The young man still hadn't turned around, "It's best you don't know."

"You know about him, don't you?" Kasumi stated, not willing to let the boy go until she got what she wanted from him.

The young man turned his ice cold eyes towards her. "Apparently, as do you," he said in a factual voice. He fully turned to face Kasumi, "He is dangerous, and we have to keep close observance over him."

"So he is dangerous?"

The young man paused for the longest time, "It would be best if you didn't agitate him. With that, he started to walk away.

"Then we should kick him out of our house! Right?" Kasumi enquired, hoping he would confirm her suspects.

"That would be far from a good idea."

"Then if he's so dangerous, why haven't you tried to get rid of him yet?"

The young man looked back to the waning crowd, "We are not prepared to deal with him yet. When the time comes, and no moment sooner, we will eliminate him."

"Kill him?" Kasumi asked in shocked awe.

The boy nodded, "Good day, Ms. Tendou. It would be best if Ranma never found out about this conversation..


End file.
